What do you think?
Rate this book
The Fey #1
The Sacrifice
Their armies have conquered half the world. Now they want the rest.
The Fey, known for their beauty and their warrior magic, have set their sights on Blue Isle. They should conquer the Isle quickly; its people, simple and religious, have never known war.
On the eve of the invasion, Jewel, the granddaughter of the Fey’s all-powerful Black King, has a frightening vision, one that ties her fate to the Isle forever. Still, she helps her father Rugar head the invasion force.
The force meets a surprising resistance. Nicholas, heir to Blue Isle’s throne, has always dreamed of battle. Normally, he would be no match for the powerful Fey. But Blue Isle has a secret weapon—a weapon no one understands, a weapon that could stop the Fey in their tracks.
Nicholas must find a way to harness this amazing power. Jewel must find a way to thwart him. To survive, one of them must make the ultimate sacrifice.
A fast-paced, vibrant novel, filled with memorable characters, Sacrifice begins a saga that will take readers to a richly imagined world, filled with magic, treachery, and unexpected love.
“Whether [Rusch] writes high fantasy, horror, sf, or contemporary fantasy, I’ve always been fascinated by her ability to tell a story with that enviable gift of invisible prose. She’s one of those very few writers whose style takes me right into the story—the words and pages disappear as the characters and their story swallows me whole….Rusch has style.”
—Charles de Lint
“In less than 20 years, Rusch has won most of the major sf and fantasy awards, including the Best Editor Hugo during her stint at the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction….[She] is one of the more accomplished younger sf authors.”
—Booklist
“A masterful writer is at work.”
—Orson Scott Card
“Rusch’s greatest strength…is her ability to close down a story and leave the reader feeling that the author could not possibly have wrung any more satisfaction out of the piece.”
—The Kansas City Star
“Kristine Kathryn Rusch integrates the fantastic elements so rigorously into her story that it is often hard to remember she is not merely recording the here and now.”
—A.M. Dellamonica
Science Fiction Weekly
“Like early Ray Bradbury, Rusch has the ability to switch on a universal dark.”
—the Times [London]
Kristine Kathryn Rusch, the former editor of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, has won a World Fantasy award and two Hugo awards for her work in science fiction and fantasy. She has also won France’s most prestigious fantasy award, Le Prix Imaginales. Her fantasy novels, including the stand-alone novels, The White Mists of Power, Heart Readers, and Traitors have won praise around the world.
She also writes science fiction. Io9 has called the hero of her Retrieval Artist series one of the top ten science fiction detectives of all time. Her mystery novels, published under the name Kris Nelscott, are classics of the genre. And her romance novels, published under the name Kristine Grayson, are actually lightweight fantasy novels hiding in another genre.
The Fey, known for their beauty and their warrior magic, have set their sights on Blue Isle. They should conquer the Isle quickly; its people, simple and religious, have never known war.
On the eve of the invasion, Jewel, the granddaughter of the Fey’s all-powerful Black King, has a frightening vision, one that ties her fate to the Isle forever. Still, she helps her father Rugar head the invasion force.
The force meets a surprising resistance. Nicholas, heir to Blue Isle’s throne, has always dreamed of battle. Normally, he would be no match for the powerful Fey. But Blue Isle has a secret weapon—a weapon no one understands, a weapon that could stop the Fey in their tracks.
Nicholas must find a way to harness this amazing power. Jewel must find a way to thwart him. To survive, one of them must make the ultimate sacrifice.
A fast-paced, vibrant novel, filled with memorable characters, Sacrifice begins a saga that will take readers to a richly imagined world, filled with magic, treachery, and unexpected love.
“Whether [Rusch] writes high fantasy, horror, sf, or contemporary fantasy, I’ve always been fascinated by her ability to tell a story with that enviable gift of invisible prose. She’s one of those very few writers whose style takes me right into the story—the words and pages disappear as the characters and their story swallows me whole….Rusch has style.”
—Charles de Lint
“In less than 20 years, Rusch has won most of the major sf and fantasy awards, including the Best Editor Hugo during her stint at the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction….[She] is one of the more accomplished younger sf authors.”
—Booklist
“A masterful writer is at work.”
—Orson Scott Card
“Rusch’s greatest strength…is her ability to close down a story and leave the reader feeling that the author could not possibly have wrung any more satisfaction out of the piece.”
—The Kansas City Star
“Kristine Kathryn Rusch integrates the fantastic elements so rigorously into her story that it is often hard to remember she is not merely recording the here and now.”
—A.M. Dellamonica
Science Fiction Weekly
“Like early Ray Bradbury, Rusch has the ability to switch on a universal dark.”
—the Times [London]
Kristine Kathryn Rusch, the former editor of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, has won a World Fantasy award and two Hugo awards for her work in science fiction and fantasy. She has also won France’s most prestigious fantasy award, Le Prix Imaginales. Her fantasy novels, including the stand-alone novels, The White Mists of Power, Heart Readers, and Traitors have won praise around the world.
She also writes science fiction. Io9 has called the hero of her Retrieval Artist series one of the top ten science fiction detectives of all time. Her mystery novels, published under the name Kris Nelscott, are classics of the genre. And her romance novels, published under the name Kristine Grayson, are actually lightweight fantasy novels hiding in another genre.
496 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1995
176 people are currently reading
1004 people want to read
About the author
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
1,365 books721 followersKristine Kathryn Rusch is an award-winning mystery, romance, science fiction, and fantasy writer. She has written many novels under various names, including Kristine Grayson for romance, and Kris Nelscott for mystery. Her novels have made the bestseller lists –even in London– and have been published in 14 countries and 13 different languages.
Her awards range from the Ellery Queen Readers Choice Award to the John W. Campbell Award. In the past year, she has been nominated for the Hugo, the Shamus, and the Anthony Award. She is the only person in the history of the science fiction field to have won a Hugo award for editing and a Hugo award for fiction.
In addition, she's written a number of nonfiction articles over the years, with her latest being the book "A Freelancer's Survival Guide".
She has also published as:
Sandy Schofield (collaborations with husband Dean Wesley Smith)
Kristine Grayson - romances
Kathryn Wesley (collaborations with husband Dean Wesley Smith)
Kris Nelscott - mysteries
Kris Rusch - historical fiction
Kris DeLake - romances
Her awards range from the Ellery Queen Readers Choice Award to the John W. Campbell Award. In the past year, she has been nominated for the Hugo, the Shamus, and the Anthony Award. She is the only person in the history of the science fiction field to have won a Hugo award for editing and a Hugo award for fiction.
In addition, she's written a number of nonfiction articles over the years, with her latest being the book "A Freelancer's Survival Guide".
She has also published as:
Sandy Schofield (collaborations with husband Dean Wesley Smith)
Kristine Grayson - romances
Kathryn Wesley (collaborations with husband Dean Wesley Smith)
Kris Nelscott - mysteries
Kris Rusch - historical fiction
Kris DeLake - romances
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
July 18, 2010
This book is long. It's really, really long. It seems even longer than it really is because so much happens so quickly. It's actually even longer because there are four more books in the series and this first installment doesn't resolve one gosh-darn thing.
I liked the characters and there were some interesting magical aspects to this fantasy. However, it did get pretty repetitious. It was also very predictable because it starts out with a vision that tells you that the Fey warrior princess and the Islander prince are going to be in love. It's not only a self-contained spoiler, but I'm pretty sure the incident in the princess' vision won't even happen until a book or two down the line.
I was really surprised at the imbalance between male and female characters. Only 1 of the 6 or more primary characters was female. There were only two other female point-of-view characters and we don't get very much from one of them. The female characters do seem to be a bit better developed than the males, but not by much. Considering that the Fey treat females as full equals to males, it surprised me that women had such a small part.
The audio production of this book was serviceable. The narrator wasn't terrible and he did a good job of giving each character his/her own voice.
I liked the characters and there were some interesting magical aspects to this fantasy. However, it did get pretty repetitious. It was also very predictable because it starts out with a vision that tells you that the Fey warrior princess and the Islander prince are going to be in love. It's not only a self-contained spoiler, but I'm pretty sure the incident in the princess' vision won't even happen until a book or two down the line.
I was really surprised at the imbalance between male and female characters. Only 1 of the 6 or more primary characters was female. There were only two other female point-of-view characters and we don't get very much from one of them. The female characters do seem to be a bit better developed than the males, but not by much. Considering that the Fey treat females as full equals to males, it surprised me that women had such a small part.
The audio production of this book was serviceable. The narrator wasn't terrible and he did a good job of giving each character his/her own voice.
March 1, 2018
I read this as part of the workshop I'm attending in April, and one of the rules is that we're to read the books for enjoyment--not analyzing or looking at them like a writer. I originally decided that meant I wouldn't review the books at all, but I changed my mind last night. I did my best to follow instructions, but I don't think it means I can't look back on it and think about what I liked, or didn't like.
I have to just give up and admit I don't like epic fantasy anymore. My reaction to this book was not excitement, it wasn't dislike, it was pure impatience. There are about a million POV characters and we don't stay with any of them long enough to build up a rapport. It took me maybe a hundred pages to start caring about any of them. Also, I felt like a thousand-year-old grouch because the two "main" characters are both 18 and stupid and selfish, and while it's clear the story is set up to explore their growth as characters, I didn't like either of them well enough to care.
It's not that the story isn't interesting. It's basically about a race of magickal (oh do I hate that spelling) creatures who are bent on conquering the world, and their attempted invasion of a strategically placed island that turns out to have a secret weapon that's the only thing that's ever stopped the invaders anywhere in the world. My biggest problem at the beginning was that I saw no reason to admire the invaders, because their desires are purely selfish, but half the POVs are their people and it's clear we're meant to feel at least a little...sympathy is the wrong word; maybe understanding? And maybe I'm wrong, and this is a brilliant tactic, but it just irritated me.
This is book one of a seven-book series, but I won't be continuing it. Recommended for fans of epic fantasy who have more patience than I do.
I have to just give up and admit I don't like epic fantasy anymore. My reaction to this book was not excitement, it wasn't dislike, it was pure impatience. There are about a million POV characters and we don't stay with any of them long enough to build up a rapport. It took me maybe a hundred pages to start caring about any of them. Also, I felt like a thousand-year-old grouch because the two "main" characters are both 18 and stupid and selfish, and while it's clear the story is set up to explore their growth as characters, I didn't like either of them well enough to care.
It's not that the story isn't interesting. It's basically about a race of magickal (oh do I hate that spelling) creatures who are bent on conquering the world, and their attempted invasion of a strategically placed island that turns out to have a secret weapon that's the only thing that's ever stopped the invaders anywhere in the world. My biggest problem at the beginning was that I saw no reason to admire the invaders, because their desires are purely selfish, but half the POVs are their people and it's clear we're meant to feel at least a little...sympathy is the wrong word; maybe understanding? And maybe I'm wrong, and this is a brilliant tactic, but it just irritated me.
This is book one of a seven-book series, but I won't be continuing it. Recommended for fans of epic fantasy who have more patience than I do.
August 4, 2013
Jewel is the grand-daughter of the Black King, the ruler of the Fey. The Fey have conquered half the world and have set their sights on the other half. The only thing standing in their way is Blue Isle - an island known for trade and not warfare. Jewel and her father travel to Blue Isle for what they expect will be a swift victory. But they - and the Islanders - are about to discover a tide-changing secret.
I read this series for the first time more than a decade ago. I remembered enjoying the balance of war and romance very much the first time around and I hoped I would enjoy it a second time. And I did. As an older reader, I do notice holes in it that I didn't when I was younger, but for all that, it is a compelling story that kept me turning pages, even though I know what happens.
Jewel is only one of an array of interesting characters. Kristine Kathryn Rusch takes the opportunity to examine Fey and Islander societies from multiple vantage points - from those their people judge important to those they consider negligible. My favourite characters were Scavenger - a member of the least important Fey known as Red Caps who have no magic and are consequently considered without value - and Matthias - an Elder in a religion which he's not sure he accepts. Though the story switches characters throughout, the pace never flags and each chapter carries the story forward. Definitely worth a read.
I read this series for the first time more than a decade ago. I remembered enjoying the balance of war and romance very much the first time around and I hoped I would enjoy it a second time. And I did. As an older reader, I do notice holes in it that I didn't when I was younger, but for all that, it is a compelling story that kept me turning pages, even though I know what happens.
Jewel is only one of an array of interesting characters. Kristine Kathryn Rusch takes the opportunity to examine Fey and Islander societies from multiple vantage points - from those their people judge important to those they consider negligible. My favourite characters were Scavenger - a member of the least important Fey known as Red Caps who have no magic and are consequently considered without value - and Matthias - an Elder in a religion which he's not sure he accepts. Though the story switches characters throughout, the pace never flags and each chapter carries the story forward. Definitely worth a read.
July 27, 2010
2.5 stars
As another review on this said: "This is a long book. A VERY long book." And, that's true. And, again, "especially seeing as nothing much happened." While I won't say that nothing happened, I will say that the book had a very incomplete feeling to it - a lot of waiting between small amounts of Things Happening. Basically, the book is about drow (not that they're called that) attacking humans and humans realizing "oh my god, we have magic too!" ...and that's about it. Rusch, when she wasn't railroading the plot, made certain that each side was pretty equally balanced, so that the characters only had one resolution. A resolution that we were told from the very beginning of the book they'd have. From being given the end of the book at the very beginning, I suppose it made sense that the rest of the story was as predictable, but that was still disappointing to have happen. The female lead character was disagreeable, but then again, that's what you'd expect from the "drow." Not a series that I feel the need to continue in.
As another review on this said: "This is a long book. A VERY long book." And, that's true. And, again, "especially seeing as nothing much happened." While I won't say that nothing happened, I will say that the book had a very incomplete feeling to it - a lot of waiting between small amounts of Things Happening. Basically, the book is about drow (not that they're called that) attacking humans and humans realizing "oh my god, we have magic too!" ...and that's about it. Rusch, when she wasn't railroading the plot, made certain that each side was pretty equally balanced, so that the characters only had one resolution. A resolution that we were told from the very beginning of the book they'd have. From being given the end of the book at the very beginning, I suppose it made sense that the rest of the story was as predictable, but that was still disappointing to have happen. The female lead character was disagreeable, but then again, that's what you'd expect from the "drow." Not a series that I feel the need to continue in.
May 1, 2021
This book translates extremely poorly to audiobook narration. I loved this as a paperback & ebook but the audiobook blows.
This story is wordy and the audiobook narrator is horrible.
I'm rereading this with my hubby but I'm not sure he'll want to to stick this out past Part 1.
I'm giving this 2.5 stars rounded up to 3
4 star Review from 2017: (read an epub) I love this dark fantasy series. In truth I forgot how much. This first installment is very wordy and doesn't end the story at all. Still it's a wonderful beginning.
This story is wordy and the audiobook narrator is horrible.
I'm rereading this with my hubby but I'm not sure he'll want to to stick this out past Part 1.
I'm giving this 2.5 stars rounded up to 3
4 star Review from 2017: (read an epub) I love this dark fantasy series. In truth I forgot how much. This first installment is very wordy and doesn't end the story at all. Still it's a wonderful beginning.
September 15, 2020
Grimdark fey attack an isolated island nation.
Grimdark before it officially existed. I had two major issues with the book that are known personal taste things. I felt like it was about a three and a half, but I'll round up because it was personal.
Thing one: Time jump without emotional arc. The premise is that they Fey attack this nation, no spoilers there, but things don't go so well for them, and there's a jump to fast forward events a little. Nothing is resolved emotionally before the jump, so I found it jarring. But I loathe sagas for this reason, most of the time, so you might be fine with it--the plot is logical enough.
Second thing, also not much of a spoiler, is that the leads are destined to be together, via magic vision, and are immediately attracted to each other. I hate romantic subplots with no romance. Immediate attraction is okay as long as there is some actual romancing going on, but there was none here. Again, the plot makes perfect sense on this point; it just isn't a story experience that I like to have.
The fey powers are horrific, the culture monstrous, about as dark as you can get. I liked the world. But I won't be reading further because the romance side just felt off to me throughout the book, and it looks like it's going to be an issue throughout the series.
Give this a try if you like grimdark and don't mind the romance thing. Other reviewers complain of it being a long book, but it's epic fantasy from the Nineties, and that is a feature, not a bug.
Grimdark before it officially existed. I had two major issues with the book that are known personal taste things. I felt like it was about a three and a half, but I'll round up because it was personal.
Thing one: Time jump without emotional arc. The premise is that they Fey attack this nation, no spoilers there, but things don't go so well for them, and there's a jump to fast forward events a little. Nothing is resolved emotionally before the jump, so I found it jarring. But I loathe sagas for this reason, most of the time, so you might be fine with it--the plot is logical enough.
Second thing, also not much of a spoiler, is that the leads are destined to be together, via magic vision, and are immediately attracted to each other. I hate romantic subplots with no romance. Immediate attraction is okay as long as there is some actual romancing going on, but there was none here. Again, the plot makes perfect sense on this point; it just isn't a story experience that I like to have.
The fey powers are horrific, the culture monstrous, about as dark as you can get. I liked the world. But I won't be reading further because the romance side just felt off to me throughout the book, and it looks like it's going to be an issue throughout the series.
Give this a try if you like grimdark and don't mind the romance thing. Other reviewers complain of it being a long book, but it's epic fantasy from the Nineties, and that is a feature, not a bug.
September 20, 2024
I have found Rusch's longer fiction to be inferior to her short stories, but this might be because I've been reading her short fiction for years, and the novels only recently. I found this novel to be her best so far. It's not often that the characters are written so well that you care (or at least understand) the villains as much as the heroes of the piece. Normally I would have had a difficult time keeping track of the characters since there were so many (most of which have their own point-of-view chapters).
The world was interesting and the pacing was good, at least I kept turning the pages.
I did have a problem with the length. There were POV characters and story lines that probably could have been cut, but were undoubtedly kept in because they have ramifications for future volumes in the series. There was a lot of set-up but no resolutions, and quite frankly I'm not sure I'm interested enough to find out more.
Also, once the entrance to the Shadowlands was discovered, all the Islanders needed to do was camp outside the door and kill the Fey as they exited, one at a time, or left them inside to eventually starve. It seemed pretty obvious to me, but wasn't noticed by anyone in the book. Even Nicholas, who points out all the mistakes the king made, didn't notice this one obvious thing that could easily have stopped the Fey menace 100 pages sooner.
The world was interesting and the pacing was good, at least I kept turning the pages.
I did have a problem with the length. There were POV characters and story lines that probably could have been cut, but were undoubtedly kept in because they have ramifications for future volumes in the series. There was a lot of set-up but no resolutions, and quite frankly I'm not sure I'm interested enough to find out more.
Also, once the entrance to the Shadowlands was discovered, all the Islanders needed to do was camp outside the door and kill the Fey as they exited, one at a time, or left them inside to eventually starve. It seemed pretty obvious to me, but wasn't noticed by anyone in the book. Even Nicholas, who points out all the mistakes the king made, didn't notice this one obvious thing that could easily have stopped the Fey menace 100 pages sooner.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2017
Blue Isle has been impenetrable to the Black Kings forces the whole time the empire grows around it, now he has decided it's time the mysterious island and its people were brought into the fold.
An invasion force lead by the mountain climbers and sea sprits get a foothold and soon the rest of the Fey land ready to take over the little island nation. (This all happens in the first chapter so I'm not ruining anything I promise).
The Fey use magic, they are faerie people, with shape shifters,Wisps, Gollum, Redcaps, Visionaries and all many of different types of faery and they are unstoppable. That is until they try to defeat the religious sector of Blue Isle.
What follows is an epic battle and game of wits and strategy, as well as the most cunning and dangerous plans, all with strange magics that the islanders denounce and the Empire embrace, but all is not so black and white - it never is! -.
This is the best series of books I have ever read and I've read a fair amount - From Amtrak Wars to Liveship Trilogies - the mind of KK Rusch must be a wonderful place to be able to write such detailed and well rounded characters and to make me spend £30+ on a single paperback copy of book 4 because I just had to know what happened, in the end Kristine sold me a copy from her own collection, (that's how desperate I was!). But now thanks to Kindle it's available and for £0.99 or something ridiculous.
So you have no excuse not to read it.
Amendment 2016: This is a perfect excuse of why you shouldn't re-read a favourite book. I wanted to share this book with a friend, so I gave her a copy, 3 months later she still hadn't mentioned it, so I suggested reading it together.
Whether it's that I have grown as a reader having put pen to paper ( that sounds better than 'fingers to keys') and written my own works of fiction, or a case of seeing the book through someone else's eyes, but the book suddenly seemed so slow. A third of the way through I realised this book takes so long for anything to happen. What I once took for beautiful deep details, is more long drawn out chapters where KKR over emphasises the smallest of details time and again.
It was a series that truly inspired me at a younger age, but now it has been surpassed and I am sad about that.
An invasion force lead by the mountain climbers and sea sprits get a foothold and soon the rest of the Fey land ready to take over the little island nation. (This all happens in the first chapter so I'm not ruining anything I promise).
The Fey use magic, they are faerie people, with shape shifters,Wisps, Gollum, Redcaps, Visionaries and all many of different types of faery and they are unstoppable. That is until they try to defeat the religious sector of Blue Isle.
What follows is an epic battle and game of wits and strategy, as well as the most cunning and dangerous plans, all with strange magics that the islanders denounce and the Empire embrace, but all is not so black and white - it never is! -.
This is the best series of books I have ever read and I've read a fair amount - From Amtrak Wars to Liveship Trilogies - the mind of KK Rusch must be a wonderful place to be able to write such detailed and well rounded characters and to make me spend £30+ on a single paperback copy of book 4 because I just had to know what happened, in the end Kristine sold me a copy from her own collection, (that's how desperate I was!). But now thanks to Kindle it's available and for £0.99 or something ridiculous.
So you have no excuse not to read it.
Amendment 2016: This is a perfect excuse of why you shouldn't re-read a favourite book. I wanted to share this book with a friend, so I gave her a copy, 3 months later she still hadn't mentioned it, so I suggested reading it together.
Whether it's that I have grown as a reader having put pen to paper ( that sounds better than 'fingers to keys') and written my own works of fiction, or a case of seeing the book through someone else's eyes, but the book suddenly seemed so slow. A third of the way through I realised this book takes so long for anything to happen. What I once took for beautiful deep details, is more long drawn out chapters where KKR over emphasises the smallest of details time and again.
It was a series that truly inspired me at a younger age, but now it has been surpassed and I am sad about that.
November 20, 2014
I haven't enjoyed a fantasy series this much in a long while. There's nothing groundbreaking about this one, but it is well-written and is refreshingly free of Chosen Ones and great evils. Reminds me of Magician in that way, and also in that it focuses on an ensemble cast rather than a central protagonist.
I also liked the way it showed both sides from their own perspective, not making one side the good guys and the others the bad guys (although it does seem a little stacked against the Fey in that regard).
Had I remembered that Kristine Kathryn Rusch was the author of The Disappeared I might have skipped this one, so I guess I've now seen her best and worst. Hopefully the rest of this series continues as it began.
It did annoy me a little bit that neither side seemed to take advantage of some very important information they received, specifically the Islanders discovering the Shadowlands entrance and the Fey finding out that only two people knew how to make the holy water. The Islanders should have made a big tub, sat it under the Shadowlands entrance, and filled it with holy water. Any Fey who steps out dies. The Fey should simply have killed the Rocaan and Matthias. But other than that it was good.
I also liked the way it showed both sides from their own perspective, not making one side the good guys and the others the bad guys (although it does seem a little stacked against the Fey in that regard).
Had I remembered that Kristine Kathryn Rusch was the author of The Disappeared I might have skipped this one, so I guess I've now seen her best and worst. Hopefully the rest of this series continues as it began.
It did annoy me a little bit that neither side seemed to take advantage of some very important information they received, specifically the Islanders discovering the Shadowlands entrance and the Fey finding out that only two people knew how to make the holy water. The Islanders should have made a big tub, sat it under the Shadowlands entrance, and filled it with holy water. Any Fey who steps out dies. The Fey should simply have killed the Rocaan and Matthias. But other than that it was good.
April 5, 2014
I am currently 12% of the way through this book and I suddenly realized that I have been listening to this (via text to speech on my Kindle) ALL day and I am still waiting for anything to actually happen. The evil warmongering Fae have landed on the island and seem to be mostly standing around with their thumbs up their butts while a handful of them wander around torturing people for no apparent reason and the rest just basically shout "boo" at shopkeepers and giggle while they flee back inside their houses, and... I don't like a single one of the characters, except maybe sort of a small secondary one. I don't feel like anything is happening or likely to happen anytime soon. I feel a bit like this is some attempt to add story to an "encyclopedia" of the fae, since the author spends so much time detailing various fae and their various powers and so little on plot. And I know how it ends, since one of the main characters had a foretelling of the future at the very beginning. Rather than spend another 16 hours (according to my Kindle estimate. OMG!) boring myself to death, I'm going to just call it.
December 6, 2022
I've enjoyed reading this book, despite the length it has held my attention following the action and trying to understand the motivation of the characters. The cruelty and ruthlessness of the Fey, the turmoil in the Church when their most sacred product is found to be all that will kill the Fey and the despair of the Islanders thinking that their home will never truly be theirs ever again. The solution at the end seems to be the only compromise that will allow them to live together but at what cost to the Islanders who were happy to trade and coexist with anyone not to be subservient to a cruel master race who's sole purpose is to overrun and control the world.
September 15, 2010
I keep trying to get into this one but just can't. But I am leaving it up to try again for later.
round 2: I like part 1 of the 3 parts but I cannot get into part 2...it keeps putting me to sleep. So I have given it up.
round 2: I like part 1 of the 3 parts but I cannot get into part 2...it keeps putting me to sleep. So I have given it up.
November 15, 2010
I spent about 4 hours listening to this book, but I just can't get into it. There are aspects that I really like, Jewel being among them. But the constant switching of who is telling the story is jarring and hard to keep up with when listening. This one just isn't for me.
January 31, 2013
Ghastly cover art. Amazing fantasy novel.
April 7, 2022
Kristine Kathryn Rusch is a multiple award-winning author with a huge catalogue of books behind her. The Fey is an old series she’s been meaning to get back to for years. Enter the Kickstarter she ran to, well, kick herself back into action, and where I picked up the entire series. Naturally, I began with book #1, The Sacrifice.
I had no real idea what to expect, but I must admit this wasn’t it. The world building is detailed and vast, the numerous characters well drawn and well written. The plot was where it fell apart for me. I assumed we would follow Jewel’s story, as she was the first character we met, but it turned out she was just one of (too) many, and after a fast, grim, start, the story settles down into not really going anywhere, with even the characters frustrated with the lack of progress. I found the number of viewpoint characters rather over the top, and some story threads that clearly lead onto the following books rather unentwined with the main plot of this volume.
But for me, the biggest turn off was the unpleasantness of so many characters. I am not averse to vile things happening in fantasy – when stories involve wars, that’s only to be expected. But so many of the characters were horrible people, with no redeeming features, I didn’t enjoy reading about them. I also found it a great stretch to imagine a race (the fey) who possess such drastically varied and mostly hideous, magical talents. It was like the author’s head was swimming with ideas, and she felt compelled to bestow them all upon a single race.
Yes, I finished it, to see where it was going. Will I read more? The jury is out on that one. I might try the prequel novella she wrote for the Kickstarter, and see what I think then. There is a resolution of sorts at the end, for which I was grateful, but I’m not sure I loved either of the (sort of) main characters enough to follow through, especially when they seemed rather secondary to the plot.
I had no real idea what to expect, but I must admit this wasn’t it. The world building is detailed and vast, the numerous characters well drawn and well written. The plot was where it fell apart for me. I assumed we would follow Jewel’s story, as she was the first character we met, but it turned out she was just one of (too) many, and after a fast, grim, start, the story settles down into not really going anywhere, with even the characters frustrated with the lack of progress. I found the number of viewpoint characters rather over the top, and some story threads that clearly lead onto the following books rather unentwined with the main plot of this volume.
But for me, the biggest turn off was the unpleasantness of so many characters. I am not averse to vile things happening in fantasy – when stories involve wars, that’s only to be expected. But so many of the characters were horrible people, with no redeeming features, I didn’t enjoy reading about them. I also found it a great stretch to imagine a race (the fey) who possess such drastically varied and mostly hideous, magical talents. It was like the author’s head was swimming with ideas, and she felt compelled to bestow them all upon a single race.
Yes, I finished it, to see where it was going. Will I read more? The jury is out on that one. I might try the prequel novella she wrote for the Kickstarter, and see what I think then. There is a resolution of sorts at the end, for which I was grateful, but I’m not sure I loved either of the (sort of) main characters enough to follow through, especially when they seemed rather secondary to the plot.
July 5, 2024
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I want to change my scoring by 0.50 or more of a star. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)
I'm finally going through my physical library owned book list, to add more older basic reviews. If I liked a book enough to keep then they are at the least a 3 star.
I'm only adding one book per author and I'm not going to re-read every book to be more accurate, not when I have 1000s of new to me authors to try (I can't say no to free books....)
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
I'm finally going through my physical library owned book list, to add more older basic reviews. If I liked a book enough to keep then they are at the least a 3 star.
I'm only adding one book per author and I'm not going to re-read every book to be more accurate, not when I have 1000s of new to me authors to try (I can't say no to free books....)
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
June 17, 2018
The people of the bountiful Blue Isle are inexperienced in the ways of war, living lived in peace for centuries. To the Fey, bent on conquest, they seem like an easy target - but the Fey invasion meets unexpected resistance, resulting in a bloody stalemate that lasts for months. To break it, both Fey and Islanders will have to see beyond their traditions to find a way out that won't lead to either faction's complete annihilation.
I picked this up at a whim at a second hand store a few years ago, despite the questionable 90s cover. Following several characters on both sides of the conflict, the story quickly drew me in and proved a surprisingly quick read for its length by virtue of being extremely hard to put down. Looking forward to the next book.
I picked this up at a whim at a second hand store a few years ago, despite the questionable 90s cover. Following several characters on both sides of the conflict, the story quickly drew me in and proved a surprisingly quick read for its length by virtue of being extremely hard to put down. Looking forward to the next book.
May 25, 2024
Reading it again 20 years after finding a copy in a charity shop. It was a slow burn read then and still is now, too many characters to keep a track of their storylines so you do often find yourself skipping back a chapter as a refresher, nice that the least "important" people get some characterization but it does take a long time to make any points.
SPOILER ALERT
I think the holy water gimmick is a bit of a cop out, maybe virgin blood or something equally precious as a secret weapon but not just something you can whip up in 10 seconds with any old cross and a few prayer words, I find it hard to believe that no other nation that succumbed to the Fey had any form of religion that they didn't fall upon in times of need and stumble upon this solution.
SPOILER ALERT
I think the holy water gimmick is a bit of a cop out, maybe virgin blood or something equally precious as a secret weapon but not just something you can whip up in 10 seconds with any old cross and a few prayer words, I find it hard to believe that no other nation that succumbed to the Fey had any form of religion that they didn't fall upon in times of need and stumble upon this solution.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2023
A bit of a slog, but overall a good story, I just can’t say I’m eager to read the next. I bought this at Half Price Books in Dallas (sigh) along with many, many others years ago. I’m finally reading some of these that so have moved many times. The beginning was sort of intriguing and then surprisingly detailed in the violence. It had a purpose, but…gross. About 300 pages in, I was finally committed to finishing, and 50 pages from the end when I decided I would consider reading the next book, eventually. Interesting world with well-developed characters, but there are so many good books and series that aren’t as hard to get lost in.
January 15, 2020
It's been a long while since I've read a 600+ paged fantasy book - back in the day I use to devour them... until I got sick of the tomes of overdrawn stories. Some might say it's the same for this book, but for me, it felt like it went by so quick. Perhaps I was in the mood for indepth world and character building.
I love the magic system in this world and learning about the Fey's caste system (cruel, but interesting).
Because of Jewel's Vision, I was quite impatient for her and Nicholas to meet .
I love the magic system in this world and learning about the Fey's caste system (cruel, but interesting).
Because of Jewel's Vision, I was quite impatient for her and Nicholas to meet .
December 4, 2024
I thought I'd read this years ago, but discovered while reading this book that I'd actually read the sequel, not realising it was the second in the series.
All I can say is, I seem to remember the characters being better in the sequel. The humans of the Isle are pretty useless, and the Fey evil warmongers; I was hoping they'd all get wiped out, even though I knew they wouldn't. I've been turned off these characters so much by this book I'm not going to seek out the sequel. Screw the Fey. Bastards.
All I can say is, I seem to remember the characters being better in the sequel. The humans of the Isle are pretty useless, and the Fey evil warmongers; I was hoping they'd all get wiped out, even though I knew they wouldn't. I've been turned off these characters so much by this book I'm not going to seek out the sequel. Screw the Fey. Bastards.
March 24, 2025
The setup and initial invasion was exciting and showed us all the different ways the Fey could use their magick, as well as their ruthless nature. Throughout the book, that was the part that kept my interest, especially when things stopped moving. It was fun to see how each member fit into society. By far my favorite characters were Nicholas, who was restless and wanted to get into action, and the Rocaan, who tried to find an alternate solution. I found most of the Fey characters to be somewhat stilted, even Jewel, the main Fey protagonist. I wasn’t fond of the large time jump that brought us to a very slow part of the book, where most of the characters turned their wheels, and information was not flowing in any direction. When it finally did, through prisoners, it didn’t go anywhere. The final solution, the sacrifice, was hinted at from the start, but didn’t have enough buildup to justify it, especially for Nicholas. I think having so many point of view characters contributed to this, as there wasn’t enough time spent on Nicholas to show his frustration with his father, compared to Jewel, who got to do more complaining about the lack of progress.
June 30, 2018
Maybe 3 1/2 stars. I really like her Retrieval Artist series much more than this book. It just seemed to drag on until the ending which seemed rushed.
The narrator’s use of differing accents for the people of Blue Isle were too different between them; as if they came from completely different countries.
The narrator’s use of differing accents for the people of Blue Isle were too different between them; as if they came from completely different countries.
August 24, 2021
The most extraordinary fantasy/sci-fi writer
She is THE best I have ever read my life reading In this genre. This entire series is the most complicated, in depth and complex you could possibly want to read.
This series starter is breath taking in pace and impossible to put down. I actually read all night twice because I couldn't stop.
She is THE best I have ever read my life reading In this genre. This entire series is the most complicated, in depth and complex you could possibly want to read.
This series starter is breath taking in pace and impossible to put down. I actually read all night twice because I couldn't stop.
December 16, 2022
A good story, but it could have been great. Much longer than it needed to be, too many wordy passages that didnt add to the story, too many characters and events that were just dropped, a bit too much magic and miraculous events. It kept me interested but was a bit disappointed in the ending.
Not sure if I’ll read the next books in the series or not.
Not sure if I’ll read the next books in the series or not.
July 16, 2023
This is a really great fantasy story that hooked me in! It uses multiple character POVs and tells the story of the Fey invading a peaceful island people. And invaders are the bad guys, but I liked all the characters in the book and I get where they're coming from even if they're being jerks. Excited to read more in the series.
January 14, 2023
Rusch does it again!!!
I’ve read lots of Rusch’s science fiction work but never any fantasy. This book was awesome and fun. Great characters and conflicts all around. Rusch is descriptive and thorough in creating her world. The end satisfying. I look forward to the second book.
I’ve read lots of Rusch’s science fiction work but never any fantasy. This book was awesome and fun. Great characters and conflicts all around. Rusch is descriptive and thorough in creating her world. The end satisfying. I look forward to the second book.
February 3, 2023
This is a great first installment to a pure fantasy series. It is a true first installment, as in the book ends part of the way through the story, and it clear the tale will continue.
My biggest criticism of the narrative is that I'm not quite sure who I'm meant to be 'rooting for' the key Fey character, Jewel, appears to be the primary choice, but the Fey really are quite evil... so I'm waiting to finish the rest of the series to decide!
My biggest criticism of the narrative is that I'm not quite sure who I'm meant to be 'rooting for' the key Fey character, Jewel, appears to be the primary choice, but the Fey really are quite evil... so I'm waiting to finish the rest of the series to decide!
July 26, 2023
This was very slow for me to care about the characters (about 300 pages), and I finished just to get some closure on the opening. I bought the book years ago at Half Price Books and finally got around to reading it. I'm not sure I'm up for the other 6 or so in the series.
February 26, 2024
I've marked this book as read, but that's only partially true. I have given up on this book because I feel that when reading becomes a chore, rather than a pleasure, it's time to move on. It saddens me because this is one of my favorite authors.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews