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Long Price Quartet #1-2
Shadow and Betrayal
In a remote mountain academy, the politically expendable younger sons of the Great Houses study for an extraordinary task. Most will fail, some will die, but the reward for the dedicated few is mastery of the andat, and the rank of Poet. Thanks to these men - part sorcerers, part scholars - the great city-states of the Khaiem enjoy wealth and power beyond measure, and the greatest of them all is glittering jewel of the Summer Cities. There are those in the world, however, who envy such wealth. There are great riches to be had in the Summer and Winter Cities, and only the threat of the andat unleashed holds the enemies of the Khaiem in check. Conflict is brewing in the world. Alliances will be broken and friends betrayed. The lowly will be raised up, the mighty will fall and innocents will be slaughtered. And two men, bound to each other by an act of kindness and an act of brutality, may be all that stands between the civilised world and war. War and something worse . . .
593 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2007
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1279 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Abraham
260 books3,062 followersDaniel James Abraham, pen names M.L.N. Hanover and James S.A. Corey, is an American novelist, comic book writer, screenwriter, and television producer. He is best known as the author of
The Long Price Quartet
and
The Dagger and the Coin
fantasy series, and with Ty Franck, as the co-author of
The Expanse
series of science fiction novels, written under the joint pseudonym James S.A. Corey.
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May 23, 2012Look, it’s an epic fantasy series that’s not set in a feudal Europe analogue! And it’s got a relatively Campbellian hero-cycle plot that’s not based on the premise, ‘there is great evil in the land, I must fight it, though I am small/weak/young/reluctant/unprepared.’
Crazy!
The thing I’m finding most fascinating about this world are the poets – and therefore the use of language. Abraham creates a magical system that’s based on people being able to accurately describe forces of nature – and therefore create/harness them to their will. How neat is that?
Crazy!
The thing I’m finding most fascinating about this world are the poets – and therefore the use of language. Abraham creates a magical system that’s based on people being able to accurately describe forces of nature – and therefore create/harness them to their will. How neat is that?
January 19, 2025
Compelling, powerful, unique, and emotional. A melancholic and evocative story, driven by wonderfully complex and flawed characters.
This is storytelling at its finest. Abraham uses empathy, emotion and language to great effect. The nonverbal 'poses' he includes as part of the culture adds nuance and detail that adds depth to the characters and story.
The magic is so unique it took me until the end of book 1 to comprehend its subtlety. The idea is brilliant and so well executed, making the poets and the and ats such an intriguing and pivotal part of the whole.
The plot, pace, and foreshadowing is controlled but never predictable. Abraham uses multiple POVs within chapters, which I usually don't enjoy, but he makes it work. His writing is superb and the way story is crafted and enhanced with each change in POV.
I read this as one novel which works well. Book 1 is the foundation to the world, the main characters, and foreshadowing. Book 2 (the second half) shifts location and takes place some years after book 1, introducing new POVs. This shift could have worked against the story, but because the plot and new characters are so compelling, and it builds on the wider world and character building, it makes this book far superior than the first.
I feel that the whole will be greater than the parts, so I'm looking forward to the next volume which pulls together books 3 and 4. As things stand, book 1 was a solid 4.5 and book 2 a 5 star read. So overall, this volume is a definite 5 star read for me, which holds much promise for the second half of the series.
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves character focused stories that develop over time, with unique world building and written with care and emotion.
I have nothing to compare it to, but perhaps the closest I can say is if Guy Gavriel Kay wrote A Game of Thrones (minus the dragons). Abraham combines beauty and brutality in an intricate and intense tale of intrigue with great care and tenderness.
This is storytelling at its finest. Abraham uses empathy, emotion and language to great effect. The nonverbal 'poses' he includes as part of the culture adds nuance and detail that adds depth to the characters and story.
The magic is so unique it took me until the end of book 1 to comprehend its subtlety. The idea is brilliant and so well executed, making the poets and the and ats such an intriguing and pivotal part of the whole.
The plot, pace, and foreshadowing is controlled but never predictable. Abraham uses multiple POVs within chapters, which I usually don't enjoy, but he makes it work. His writing is superb and the way story is crafted and enhanced with each change in POV.
I read this as one novel which works well. Book 1 is the foundation to the world, the main characters, and foreshadowing. Book 2 (the second half) shifts location and takes place some years after book 1, introducing new POVs. This shift could have worked against the story, but because the plot and new characters are so compelling, and it builds on the wider world and character building, it makes this book far superior than the first.
I feel that the whole will be greater than the parts, so I'm looking forward to the next volume which pulls together books 3 and 4. As things stand, book 1 was a solid 4.5 and book 2 a 5 star read. So overall, this volume is a definite 5 star read for me, which holds much promise for the second half of the series.
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves character focused stories that develop over time, with unique world building and written with care and emotion.
I have nothing to compare it to, but perhaps the closest I can say is if Guy Gavriel Kay wrote A Game of Thrones (minus the dragons). Abraham combines beauty and brutality in an intricate and intense tale of intrigue with great care and tenderness.
January 22, 2024
Luckily, I was reading this bind up as A Betrayal in Winter is vastly superior to A Shadow in Summer. The Andat are underutilised and poses overused (like a parody martial art).
July 21, 2021
As I previously stated I struggled with A Shadow in Summer, and I almost gave up on this series. Luckily I enjoyed A Betrayal in Winter so much more. It might be a while until I continue with the series since it seems like the bind-up of books tree and four are out of print and not sold anymore(?), which is mildly infuriating.
3.5 stars for A Shadow in Summer and 4.5 stars for A Betrayal in Winter. Which means that a 4 star rating for the entire thing feel reasonable.
3.5 stars for A Shadow in Summer and 4.5 stars for A Betrayal in Winter. Which means that a 4 star rating for the entire thing feel reasonable.
October 16, 2011
(Re-posted from http://theturnedbrain.blogspot.com)
There was this fantasy series I loved like a mad thing when I was about fourteen or so, but I won’t say which one as I don’t want to spoil anyone. There was one character in particular I was very fond of, a dashing young prince. The trilogy, among other things, followed Prince Dashing on various adventures until he saves the land and his lady love and lives happily every after.
But the author did not stop with just this trilogy, he went on to write many (many, many) more set in the same universe, one of which was set seventy or so years after the original trilogy. This new trilogy opens with a courier announcing to a country town that the Prince from the first trilogy had died. At 80. By falling off his horse. Over ten years later and I still remember the specific details.
When you think about it, dying of natural-ish causes at 80 is pretty much the most anyone can ask for. And yet, I was gutted. It took me a long time to bring myself to return to the new trilogy, and I never was able to enjoy it fully. It was just too sad, seeing the characters I had loved so much become old and weak. In my mind Price Dashing had exsisted in his prime, but now that memory was replaced by 80 year old dead Prince Dashing. I just couldn’t shake the feeling of melancholy.
Which brings me to Daniel Abraham’s Long Price quartet. I've seen a lot of words getting used to describe these books: Underrated, amazing, masterpiece. And I’m not suggesting that those words aren’t apt, because they are, but for me only one descriptor truly applies; melancholy. Because like mystery author of my youth, Danial Abraham also employs the big jump forward. An average of fifteen years passes between each of the Long Price’s four volumes, so the characters we are introduced to as teenagers in volume one are nearing the ends of their lives by the last.
I mean, yes, these books are amazing. The world building is nothing short of stunning, and the prose is just beautiful. More than once I was stopped in my tracks by the sheer elegance of a metaphor or line of description. But it’s just so sad, watching the characters grow old.
Watching how time ravages not only their bodies but also their relationships with each other. Sad, but also pretty damn impressive. I myself have little experience with growing old, but it feels like Abraham nailed it perfectly. Writing from the point of view of a much older character isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but it carries more gravitas in the Long Price. The older character watching the younger character making the same mistakes they did carries more weight somehow when you were in that characters head while the made the mistakes. I don't think I really understood the folly of youth v. the wisdom of age before.
It might be easy to think, with all this talk of aging, that the books lack excitement, (which is exactly what I would have thought, if I’d known about the time jumps before hand). But it’s not the case! Set aside the fact that Abraham's skill grows viably with each book, and so to does our bond with the characters strengthen, the plot of each book just gets more and more thrilling. The stakes are upped in each volume, so where the first books deals primarily with the relationships between the characters, by the fourth volume empires are crumbling. The third volume, An Autumn War, was my personal favourite of the bunch and an excellent example of how to build suspense, and how to build it damn well.
Overall, these books are bittersweet. It’s a unique experience to stick with characters well into old age, (at least in this genre), and watching them age is very sad. But then we also see the birth of new characters, and new hope, which balances out that sadness out. Kind of like real life, I guess.
So, is the Long Prince quartet an easy read? Not even a little bit. But you’d be mad to pass over it.
There was this fantasy series I loved like a mad thing when I was about fourteen or so, but I won’t say which one as I don’t want to spoil anyone. There was one character in particular I was very fond of, a dashing young prince. The trilogy, among other things, followed Prince Dashing on various adventures until he saves the land and his lady love and lives happily every after.
But the author did not stop with just this trilogy, he went on to write many (many, many) more set in the same universe, one of which was set seventy or so years after the original trilogy. This new trilogy opens with a courier announcing to a country town that the Prince from the first trilogy had died. At 80. By falling off his horse. Over ten years later and I still remember the specific details.
When you think about it, dying of natural-ish causes at 80 is pretty much the most anyone can ask for. And yet, I was gutted. It took me a long time to bring myself to return to the new trilogy, and I never was able to enjoy it fully. It was just too sad, seeing the characters I had loved so much become old and weak. In my mind Price Dashing had exsisted in his prime, but now that memory was replaced by 80 year old dead Prince Dashing. I just couldn’t shake the feeling of melancholy.
Which brings me to Daniel Abraham’s Long Price quartet. I've seen a lot of words getting used to describe these books: Underrated, amazing, masterpiece. And I’m not suggesting that those words aren’t apt, because they are, but for me only one descriptor truly applies; melancholy. Because like mystery author of my youth, Danial Abraham also employs the big jump forward. An average of fifteen years passes between each of the Long Price’s four volumes, so the characters we are introduced to as teenagers in volume one are nearing the ends of their lives by the last.
I mean, yes, these books are amazing. The world building is nothing short of stunning, and the prose is just beautiful. More than once I was stopped in my tracks by the sheer elegance of a metaphor or line of description. But it’s just so sad, watching the characters grow old.
Watching how time ravages not only their bodies but also their relationships with each other. Sad, but also pretty damn impressive. I myself have little experience with growing old, but it feels like Abraham nailed it perfectly. Writing from the point of view of a much older character isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but it carries more gravitas in the Long Price. The older character watching the younger character making the same mistakes they did carries more weight somehow when you were in that characters head while the made the mistakes. I don't think I really understood the folly of youth v. the wisdom of age before.
It might be easy to think, with all this talk of aging, that the books lack excitement, (which is exactly what I would have thought, if I’d known about the time jumps before hand). But it’s not the case! Set aside the fact that Abraham's skill grows viably with each book, and so to does our bond with the characters strengthen, the plot of each book just gets more and more thrilling. The stakes are upped in each volume, so where the first books deals primarily with the relationships between the characters, by the fourth volume empires are crumbling. The third volume, An Autumn War, was my personal favourite of the bunch and an excellent example of how to build suspense, and how to build it damn well.
Overall, these books are bittersweet. It’s a unique experience to stick with characters well into old age, (at least in this genre), and watching them age is very sad. But then we also see the birth of new characters, and new hope, which balances out that sadness out. Kind of like real life, I guess.
So, is the Long Prince quartet an easy read? Not even a little bit. But you’d be mad to pass over it.
April 5, 2018
Except from Daniel Abraham’s collaboration novel
Hunter's Run
and some comics I hadn’t had the chance before to read one of his solo works. So, this is, essentially, my first book that I read from Abraham and I must say that, although it’s definitely not perfect, he has made a very nice and interesting world.
The world of this series is heavily influenced from a medieval Asia, and more from the Japanese culture, and Abraham here brings a more different style than the usual in the Fantasy genre, that I could say it reminds me a little of Guy Gavriel Kay’s.
In this world the people use different poses with their hands, poses that sometimes are used to show obedience and respect to the higher ranks, and other times to show agreement or to ask for forgiveness. However, it is also a world full with intrigues, machinations and betrayals and all that creates a very special tone for the story and the characters, as it brings unrest to those who are fighting for strength and power.
The story is set in the Cities of the Khaiem, the epicenter of the “new” Empire, since the only thing that’s left from the Old Empire is the ruins of a forgotten world, and where trade is now the greatest power. “Poets” are trained and create ideas-spirits (called andat) that can control some element of nature; and when they bind them, they use them as slaves for the wealth of the trade and the interests of the Khaiem.
Of course, not all of the andat can sustain the “binding” and are always trying to find a way, with any means necessary, to be released from the “poets”.
On the other hand, the Khai, even with all their power, they may have many children but only three of their sons can have the claim for the throne and, through their tradition, only one will prevail in the end. The “lower” sons, in order to not be killed, are cast out from the line as soon as possible and are sent to become “poets”; in a training system though that is very hard and rigorous.
A Shadow in Summer
In the first novel the story follows Otah, the 6th son of Khai Machi, who is training to become a “poet”. But when he accepts to wear the black robes and be required from him to impose on the new students, forcing him to do things that he never wanted, he will understand that he can’t take part in the way of the “poets” and their system; and that will put him in a difficult, and lonely, path in a journey of survival.
However, in the city Saraykeht, the center of the Summer Cities and of trade, things are much stranger as Amat, the overseer of House Wilsin, will discover accidentally something she shouldn’t have seen and will find herself entangled in machinations and betrayals that could cost her life, and even bring the destruction of the city.
Somewhere in there comes Otah who, as he’s still trying to find himself in the world, will try to save those he loves from the city’s turmoil but in the end it may prove too late to do the same for the city itself.
The story in this novel, despite its small size, it is pretty slow and has, also, very few action scenes. But nevertheless, Abraham manages, as he builds through the world and the characters, to hold the interest with only using the machinations and betrayals.
On the other hand, the writing, even though it has some problems, I found it good enough for this, introductory, first part to keep me going. Though, in the end Abraham leaves you with a feeling as if this was only "half" the book, but I can’t say that it disappoints entirely too. 7/10
A Betrayal in Winter
In the second novel Abraham takes us a few years after the first one, in the winter city Machi, with the Khai now being gravely ill and with the city itself being in turmoil for the succession of the throne. But when Biitrah, the eldest son of the Khai, gets killed in an unclear incident rumors will begin for the return of the long-exiled Otah coming to take back what was denied from him.
Maati will get a task to go to Machi, giving him also a second chance after the events in Saraykeht and to prove that he still deserves to become a “poet”, and to discover if rumors are, indeed, true or if someone else has started its own games for power.
However, for Otah his path in the world after Saraykeht was not easy and his return to his birthplace will prove even more difficult as, while he will try to protect those he loves, he will find himself entangled in machinations for the power of throne and it might, not only cost him his own life but could also bring the beginning of a war.
In the second part, Abraham seems considerably improved as he manages to make a stronger story, although the pace is still a bit slow as with the previous one, though with more machinations and twists this time; and also focusing better on the characters themselves.
Abraham’s writing here flows much better as he manages to connect the two novels together very well, and giving a feeling as if they’re only just one story, which, personally, I liked that a lot; while the finale ends very well and leaves you with a lot of promises for what’s to come next in the series. 8/10
Overall, I must say that in these two first parts Abraham has managed to make a very good introduction to this world and, despite some problems, it’s definitely worth reading for anyone who’s looking for something more different.
Ελληνική κριτική:
The world of this series is heavily influenced from a medieval Asia, and more from the Japanese culture, and Abraham here brings a more different style than the usual in the Fantasy genre, that I could say it reminds me a little of Guy Gavriel Kay’s.
In this world the people use different poses with their hands, poses that sometimes are used to show obedience and respect to the higher ranks, and other times to show agreement or to ask for forgiveness. However, it is also a world full with intrigues, machinations and betrayals and all that creates a very special tone for the story and the characters, as it brings unrest to those who are fighting for strength and power.
The story is set in the Cities of the Khaiem, the epicenter of the “new” Empire, since the only thing that’s left from the Old Empire is the ruins of a forgotten world, and where trade is now the greatest power. “Poets” are trained and create ideas-spirits (called andat) that can control some element of nature; and when they bind them, they use them as slaves for the wealth of the trade and the interests of the Khaiem.
Of course, not all of the andat can sustain the “binding” and are always trying to find a way, with any means necessary, to be released from the “poets”.
On the other hand, the Khai, even with all their power, they may have many children but only three of their sons can have the claim for the throne and, through their tradition, only one will prevail in the end. The “lower” sons, in order to not be killed, are cast out from the line as soon as possible and are sent to become “poets”; in a training system though that is very hard and rigorous.
A Shadow in Summer
In the first novel the story follows Otah, the 6th son of Khai Machi, who is training to become a “poet”. But when he accepts to wear the black robes and be required from him to impose on the new students, forcing him to do things that he never wanted, he will understand that he can’t take part in the way of the “poets” and their system; and that will put him in a difficult, and lonely, path in a journey of survival.
However, in the city Saraykeht, the center of the Summer Cities and of trade, things are much stranger as Amat, the overseer of House Wilsin, will discover accidentally something she shouldn’t have seen and will find herself entangled in machinations and betrayals that could cost her life, and even bring the destruction of the city.
Somewhere in there comes Otah who, as he’s still trying to find himself in the world, will try to save those he loves from the city’s turmoil but in the end it may prove too late to do the same for the city itself.
The story in this novel, despite its small size, it is pretty slow and has, also, very few action scenes. But nevertheless, Abraham manages, as he builds through the world and the characters, to hold the interest with only using the machinations and betrayals.
On the other hand, the writing, even though it has some problems, I found it good enough for this, introductory, first part to keep me going. Though, in the end Abraham leaves you with a feeling as if this was only "half" the book, but I can’t say that it disappoints entirely too. 7/10
A Betrayal in Winter
In the second novel Abraham takes us a few years after the first one, in the winter city Machi, with the Khai now being gravely ill and with the city itself being in turmoil for the succession of the throne. But when Biitrah, the eldest son of the Khai, gets killed in an unclear incident rumors will begin for the return of the long-exiled Otah coming to take back what was denied from him.
Maati will get a task to go to Machi, giving him also a second chance after the events in Saraykeht and to prove that he still deserves to become a “poet”, and to discover if rumors are, indeed, true or if someone else has started its own games for power.
However, for Otah his path in the world after Saraykeht was not easy and his return to his birthplace will prove even more difficult as, while he will try to protect those he loves, he will find himself entangled in machinations for the power of throne and it might, not only cost him his own life but could also bring the beginning of a war.
In the second part, Abraham seems considerably improved as he manages to make a stronger story, although the pace is still a bit slow as with the previous one, though with more machinations and twists this time; and also focusing better on the characters themselves.
Abraham’s writing here flows much better as he manages to connect the two novels together very well, and giving a feeling as if they’re only just one story, which, personally, I liked that a lot; while the finale ends very well and leaves you with a lot of promises for what’s to come next in the series. 8/10
Overall, I must say that in these two first parts Abraham has managed to make a very good introduction to this world and, despite some problems, it’s definitely worth reading for anyone who’s looking for something more different.
Ελληνική κριτική:
April 27, 2017
4.5 stars.
Shadow & Betrayal is the omnibus edition of A Shadow in Summer and A Betrayal in Winter, the first two books of the Long Price Quartet.
I’m not going to try to describe the story; it’s simply too layered for me to do it justice. Let me just point out that it’s set in a different fantasy world: it has the flavour of the far east and is a rich and different fantasy world with a language that uses physical forms as well as words to convey all its meanings, the scheming children of kings and ‘poets’ – the sorcerers who have the mastery of the andat, captive spirits given physical form that have great power.
I was thoroughly engrossed in this novel and highly recommend it.
Shadow & Betrayal is the omnibus edition of A Shadow in Summer and A Betrayal in Winter, the first two books of the Long Price Quartet.
I’m not going to try to describe the story; it’s simply too layered for me to do it justice. Let me just point out that it’s set in a different fantasy world: it has the flavour of the far east and is a rich and different fantasy world with a language that uses physical forms as well as words to convey all its meanings, the scheming children of kings and ‘poets’ – the sorcerers who have the mastery of the andat, captive spirits given physical form that have great power.
I was thoroughly engrossed in this novel and highly recommend it.
January 3, 2015
4 / 5
Shadow and Betrayal, by Daniel Abraham, contains the first two books of the Long Price Quartet, namely the books A Shadow in Summer (SiS) and A Betrayal in Winter (BiW). After reading BiW, it is my impression that SiS is the weaker book of the two and functions mostly as an introduction or prologue to the series. That is not to say that SiS is a bad book, only that it's not as strong as BiW. BiW shows Abraham in his stride, showcasing his great narrative and storytelling skills with excellent descriptions, a very tight and tense plot and amazing characterization. While the end of SiS left some questions unanswered and plot-threads unresolved, the end of BiW tidies up all loose ends and gives a satisfying end to the general story arc presented in Shadow and Betrayal.
I'm very curious and excited to see where and how the story continues on to the next 2 books of the quartet. Needless to say, I highly recommend this book to most fantasy fans and not only!
4 / 5
Shadow and Betrayal, by Daniel Abraham, contains the first two books of the Long Price Quartet, namely the books A Shadow in Summer (SiS) and A Betrayal in Winter (BiW). After reading BiW, it is my impression that SiS is the weaker book of the two and functions mostly as an introduction or prologue to the series. That is not to say that SiS is a bad book, only that it's not as strong as BiW. BiW shows Abraham in his stride, showcasing his great narrative and storytelling skills with excellent descriptions, a very tight and tense plot and amazing characterization. While the end of SiS left some questions unanswered and plot-threads unresolved, the end of BiW tidies up all loose ends and gives a satisfying end to the general story arc presented in Shadow and Betrayal.
I'm very curious and excited to see where and how the story continues on to the next 2 books of the quartet. Needless to say, I highly recommend this book to most fantasy fans and not only!
4 / 5
January 23, 2022
It is both moving and painful to watch the protagonists and their relationships evolve in a world full of politics, intrigues, and tradition. Their struggles with themselves and with the ever-changing reality around them make for a compelling, if sorrowful, story.
Abraham's character work is outstanding, his worldbuilding subtle and unique.
The first book felt like an "introduction" to the world, and I was not entirely captivated by the story. However, the second book was a big step up, with its last couple of chapters being particularly exciting as all the pieces fall into place naturally and satisfyingly.
A Shadow in Summer: 3.75 stars
A Betrayal in Winter: 4.75 stars
Abraham's character work is outstanding, his worldbuilding subtle and unique.
The first book felt like an "introduction" to the world, and I was not entirely captivated by the story. However, the second book was a big step up, with its last couple of chapters being particularly exciting as all the pieces fall into place naturally and satisfyingly.
A Shadow in Summer: 3.75 stars
A Betrayal in Winter: 4.75 stars
October 11, 2011
(Repost from http://drying-ink.blogspot.com/2011/0...)
I recently mentioned that the best SFF doesn't leave its world unchanged. For me, a story that ends 'same-old' falls far below one which explores the plethora of changes - not just 'new-king-on-the-throne' change (and he'd better not have been a farmboy...), but social change. Societal change. Magical change. Technological change. Fantasy in the Industrial Revolution? All for it.
...And at its heart, the Long Price Quartet is uniquely about change. It's the tale of two men - Maati and Otah - who change the world for better and worse, and simply different. It's a story, however, that starts off slowly - with A Shadow in Summer.
The cities of the Khaiem are decadent. Technologically backwards, bound by tradition... The list goes on - but they are fabulously wealthy. And untouchable. The reason?
The cities of the Khaiem have the andat.
Abstract concepts 'in a form which includes volition' - in layman's terms, the andat are concepts such as 'Seedless' and 'Water-Flowing-Down' bound into slaves, allowing the poet control. Take Seedless, for example - who the city of Saraykeht uses to remove the seeds from cotton. Seems pretty mundane, but it allows the cities of the Khaiem to stand untouched. Who, after all, would attack a city with the power to turn a country's stone to water?
Maati is a poet: sent to prepare to take up the binding of the andat Seedless. Otah is a porter with a lover, Liat. And with Seedless conspiring against his binder, Otah and Maati renewing their friendship, and the warloving nation of Galt seeking a weapon against the andat... Well, the two friends are about to find themselves shaping the city's future in their struggles. Shadow is a slow novel - it introduces you to a rich culture, and the climax isn't as changing as we hoped. Nevertheless, it's only the start of the quartet as a whole, and it's in A Betrayal in Winter that we really see the scope of the series. Conspiracy, intrigue, the andat, and the succession - it's all made profoundly human. Tragic at times, this is not a series where you'll get an unequivocal happy ending.
The setting of these books is incredibly rich. The Khaiem seem to come alive, their inspiration exotic - incorporating honorifics such as 'kvo' and 'kya' after the fashion of Japanese and similar languages, this is not your typical novel. There's no 'quasi-European' fantasyland here, and I for one find it a very welcome change! Similar to Rothfuss' Adem, there's also a system of 'poses', indicating emotions and attitudes. Contrary to Pornokitsch's love of them (sorry! :P ), I actually find them a little overused in sections to replace description or inference, though they definitely add to the image.
Onto the key component: characters. And this is where Long Price really shines: Otah and Maati are human, and make a wonderful pair of central protagonists. They do what they think they must, and what they'd like to. What's necessary - and what's human. Both fail and succeed - and do both simultaneously, and this is the series' crowning glory: they're grey. There's no black and white here, although there might at first glance seem to be.
There is, however, one disappointment in this: the female characters don't seem particularly strong to me, with one exception. Nevertheless, I think that Liat needed more in Shadow to define her - though in later books this is, admittedly, amended.
The ending, likewise, isn't entirely satisfying, but definitely completes the character arcs - and is very, very apt. It ends as it started - with Maati and Otah, two men who change the world. This is a must-read: a fantasy of merchants and social change, not of heroes. It's slow to start, but well worth the wait, and if you're looking to broaden your fantasy horizons (and let's face it: who isn't?) this is a must read. And a masterpiece.
9/10
I recently mentioned that the best SFF doesn't leave its world unchanged. For me, a story that ends 'same-old' falls far below one which explores the plethora of changes - not just 'new-king-on-the-throne' change (and he'd better not have been a farmboy...), but social change. Societal change. Magical change. Technological change. Fantasy in the Industrial Revolution? All for it.
...And at its heart, the Long Price Quartet is uniquely about change. It's the tale of two men - Maati and Otah - who change the world for better and worse, and simply different. It's a story, however, that starts off slowly - with A Shadow in Summer.
The cities of the Khaiem are decadent. Technologically backwards, bound by tradition... The list goes on - but they are fabulously wealthy. And untouchable. The reason?
The cities of the Khaiem have the andat.
Abstract concepts 'in a form which includes volition' - in layman's terms, the andat are concepts such as 'Seedless' and 'Water-Flowing-Down' bound into slaves, allowing the poet control. Take Seedless, for example - who the city of Saraykeht uses to remove the seeds from cotton. Seems pretty mundane, but it allows the cities of the Khaiem to stand untouched. Who, after all, would attack a city with the power to turn a country's stone to water?
Maati is a poet: sent to prepare to take up the binding of the andat Seedless. Otah is a porter with a lover, Liat. And with Seedless conspiring against his binder, Otah and Maati renewing their friendship, and the warloving nation of Galt seeking a weapon against the andat... Well, the two friends are about to find themselves shaping the city's future in their struggles. Shadow is a slow novel - it introduces you to a rich culture, and the climax isn't as changing as we hoped. Nevertheless, it's only the start of the quartet as a whole, and it's in A Betrayal in Winter that we really see the scope of the series. Conspiracy, intrigue, the andat, and the succession - it's all made profoundly human. Tragic at times, this is not a series where you'll get an unequivocal happy ending.
The setting of these books is incredibly rich. The Khaiem seem to come alive, their inspiration exotic - incorporating honorifics such as 'kvo' and 'kya' after the fashion of Japanese and similar languages, this is not your typical novel. There's no 'quasi-European' fantasyland here, and I for one find it a very welcome change! Similar to Rothfuss' Adem, there's also a system of 'poses', indicating emotions and attitudes. Contrary to Pornokitsch's love of them (sorry! :P ), I actually find them a little overused in sections to replace description or inference, though they definitely add to the image.
Onto the key component: characters. And this is where Long Price really shines: Otah and Maati are human, and make a wonderful pair of central protagonists. They do what they think they must, and what they'd like to. What's necessary - and what's human. Both fail and succeed - and do both simultaneously, and this is the series' crowning glory: they're grey. There's no black and white here, although there might at first glance seem to be.
There is, however, one disappointment in this: the female characters don't seem particularly strong to me, with one exception. Nevertheless, I think that Liat needed more in Shadow to define her - though in later books this is, admittedly, amended.
The ending, likewise, isn't entirely satisfying, but definitely completes the character arcs - and is very, very apt. It ends as it started - with Maati and Otah, two men who change the world. This is a must-read: a fantasy of merchants and social change, not of heroes. It's slow to start, but well worth the wait, and if you're looking to broaden your fantasy horizons (and let's face it: who isn't?) this is a must read. And a masterpiece.
9/10
December 18, 2020
Otah Machi is a son of a man that killed his brothers, and whose sons will also kill each other - by tradition, there can be only one. All this in a world ruled by might brought about by curious godlike creatures bind by words...
A promising beginning, curious world, and sympatethic characters pulled me in. Andats, those enigmatic creatures of will and temper, constantly battling their bonds, bent on destruction of everything and everyone - what a concept! Alas, I quickly grew tired of promises that weren't fulfilled. There is no plot, and there are numerous plot holes. Supposedly character-based, but characters behave like idiots and just react to their surroundings. Vast world, but poorly developed - plot of two books is set in two different cities and cultures, but one does not get much of the different atmosphere.
The books are just "OK", female characters are weirdly written, and we are coming to the reason I also stopped reading Expanse series from the author - I just don't care what happens next.
A promising beginning, curious world, and sympatethic characters pulled me in. Andats, those enigmatic creatures of will and temper, constantly battling their bonds, bent on destruction of everything and everyone - what a concept! Alas, I quickly grew tired of promises that weren't fulfilled. There is no plot, and there are numerous plot holes. Supposedly character-based, but characters behave like idiots and just react to their surroundings. Vast world, but poorly developed - plot of two books is set in two different cities and cultures, but one does not get much of the different atmosphere.
The books are just "OK", female characters are weirdly written, and we are coming to the reason I also stopped reading Expanse series from the author - I just don't care what happens next.
April 2, 2016
This book (or rather, A Shadow in Summer, as I never got around to A Betrayal in Winter) never really took off for me. I made myself read through the first 192 pages, and then I was through. I put it down when ‘life’ got in the way, and I felt no inclination whatsoever to pick it pack up and start reading again. That’s not to say it’s a bad book, but I just could not get into it. I appreciate what Abraham is trying to do by creating a Japanese-like culture (where the ubiquitous ‘poses’, a common complaint, actually factor in rather well), the adversarial magic-system and the different characters. I even like most of the characters. But not enough to stick it out. Mileage varies, and since I’ve heard a lot of praise for these books, I really wanted to like this first installment, but sadly I just didn’t.
February 15, 2022
3.5 stars
I hope Abraham gets mentioned in the list of great world building authors. The man knows how to world build. I was entranced with this world; the bathhouses and night candles. The poses and tea bowls.
That said, the plot of these first two books weren't the most engaging to me. They weren't the kind of story that I am usually drawn to. That said, I enjoyed them both. I'm pleased that I read them. They're just not something I would usually go to
I hope Abraham gets mentioned in the list of great world building authors. The man knows how to world build. I was entranced with this world; the bathhouses and night candles. The poses and tea bowls.
That said, the plot of these first two books weren't the most engaging to me. They weren't the kind of story that I am usually drawn to. That said, I enjoyed them both. I'm pleased that I read them. They're just not something I would usually go to
July 8, 2021
A new author for me, this did not disappoint.
February 1, 2013
Two books in this, and they really are two almost completely different stories, including some of the same characters in the second book, a dozen or so years later and at the other end of the country. There are some themes that carry over, some that counterpoint.
First, let me talk the world and the rich, glorious detail of it that seeps through in the crack of every lovely sentence Abraham crafts. Because I'd read a hundred and more pages of this without any clear driving sense of the story, but the world was just so magnificent and interesting and rich that I didn't care. It's intricate and charming and ruthless and I could just marry the concept of magic through binding a concept in poetry. MARRY IT.
When I finished A Shadow in Summer, I was a little confused about how small and careful and gentle a story it was - a tale of how much a person can take and bend, or break, and what we'll do to avoid greater horrors. This isn't something you see a lot of in fantasy - fantasy tends to be about the greater horrors, about war and acts of fell enormity and magic that can change the fate of the world.
Having finished the whole thing, I look back and see that Summer, too, was a tale of self-authored personal tragedies. It's just that A Betrayal in Winter was a sweeping, blistering, majestic delivery of tight-bound, screaming-inevitability self-authored personal tragedies. It's Shakespearean. It's Russian. It's a thousand twists of the knife that cannot be dodged without changing, fundamentally, who the characters are.
I am so impressed.
So while I have absolutely no idea what could possibly transpire in the third and fourth books of the series - there's still no driving direction to the overall story, and it wouldn't surprise me to jump another dozen years and to another location with another character (I have my suspicions who) - I will be getting on board, because this is some great storytelling write up my personal-tragedies alley.
First, let me talk the world and the rich, glorious detail of it that seeps through in the crack of every lovely sentence Abraham crafts. Because I'd read a hundred and more pages of this without any clear driving sense of the story, but the world was just so magnificent and interesting and rich that I didn't care. It's intricate and charming and ruthless and I could just marry the concept of magic through binding a concept in poetry. MARRY IT.
When I finished A Shadow in Summer, I was a little confused about how small and careful and gentle a story it was - a tale of how much a person can take and bend, or break, and what we'll do to avoid greater horrors. This isn't something you see a lot of in fantasy - fantasy tends to be about the greater horrors, about war and acts of fell enormity and magic that can change the fate of the world.
Having finished the whole thing, I look back and see that Summer, too, was a tale of self-authored personal tragedies. It's just that A Betrayal in Winter was a sweeping, blistering, majestic delivery of tight-bound, screaming-inevitability self-authored personal tragedies. It's Shakespearean. It's Russian. It's a thousand twists of the knife that cannot be dodged without changing, fundamentally, who the characters are.
I am so impressed.
So while I have absolutely no idea what could possibly transpire in the third and fourth books of the series - there's still no driving direction to the overall story, and it wouldn't surprise me to jump another dozen years and to another location with another character (I have my suspicions who) - I will be getting on board, because this is some great storytelling write up my personal-tragedies alley.
June 16, 2016
Found this seried via rec thread on reddit. Urgh. 1. Too heavy 2. Too fond of cheating. Not actually magical enough to warrant the fantasy in epic fantasy (by that I mean we see the andat use their powers exactly five times in the whole volume), though the idea/scope of the thing IS epic. The whole series encompasses a single person's lifetime, after all. But it's not THAT awe-inspiring. Also, the amount of cheating in this book is repetitive and cringe-worthy. I didn't really get the point of cheating in the first book, except to drive a wedge between the two male characters. Which would have made more sense if the girl didn't initiate it. It was kinda sad how Liat was just tossed around and used by ALL the males around her, while she just drifted along as a plot instrument. At least the second book's main female character was interesting, though I'm uncomfortable with how her efforts to become an independent woman slowly devolve into making her a helpless woman. Eek. I'm dreading the next volume, if only because I'm waiting for cheating to show up. Again.
Honestly, I was more curious about the andat than any of the other characters. Hershai and Seedless were fascinating characters. I also wished Stone-Made-Soft got more characterization. Otherwise, there's a lot of men doing what men in epic fantasy are usually concerned about, while the women drift along without any agency whatsoever. Ick.
Honestly, I was more curious about the andat than any of the other characters. Hershai and Seedless were fascinating characters. I also wished Stone-Made-Soft got more characterization. Otherwise, there's a lot of men doing what men in epic fantasy are usually concerned about, while the women drift along without any agency whatsoever. Ick.
February 8, 2014
The first two books in a four part saga.
This is an unusual but interesting and well written saga set in a time and place that is not of this Earth (I don’t think). The main characters (Maati and Otah) lives are bonded together but go their separate ways while intersecting at numerous points as they both grow and learn and get caught up in a devious plot to topple the leader of a city.
The most bizarre and original and interesting element to these stories are the manifestations of ideas into physical beings called Andats which are controlled by Poets. Maati trains to become a poet and helps Otah claim his inheritance after his father and brothers are murdered.
The text is a joy to read, almost poetic. The characters have deeply emotional lives and the interactions between them are civilized and brutal at the same time. On the whole it was a strange but wonderful read.
I will look out for the final two stories.
This is an unusual but interesting and well written saga set in a time and place that is not of this Earth (I don’t think). The main characters (Maati and Otah) lives are bonded together but go their separate ways while intersecting at numerous points as they both grow and learn and get caught up in a devious plot to topple the leader of a city.
The most bizarre and original and interesting element to these stories are the manifestations of ideas into physical beings called Andats which are controlled by Poets. Maati trains to become a poet and helps Otah claim his inheritance after his father and brothers are murdered.
The text is a joy to read, almost poetic. The characters have deeply emotional lives and the interactions between them are civilized and brutal at the same time. On the whole it was a strange but wonderful read.
I will look out for the final two stories.
November 29, 2016
3.5 stars, for each book. (There are two in this volume: A Shadow in Summer and A Betrayal in Winter.) I find the idea of the andat very intriguing! Slow to read, for some reason. I still would recommend the series.
Review later.
Review later.
January 3, 2016
A shadow in summer:
Con questo libro (in realtà la prima parte di uno dei due volumi che raccolgono la quadrilogia) comincio la lettura della saga di Daniel Abraham, The long price quartet.
Una saga fortemente sponsorizzata da Tintaglia (che, in effetti, mi ha passato i due tomi lo scorso anno per farmela leggere, da brava spacciatrice di testi).
Devo ammettere però che, alla fine, questo primo libro è stato abbastanza deludente.
La scrittura dell’autore è ottima, e tiene il lettore incollato alle pagine.
L’ambientazione che è stata costruita è ottima, con una serie di regni che si sono elevati al di sopra e al di fuori dal resto del mondo, forti del possesso di un’arma invincibile che gli ha garantito una pace senza precedenti dal tempo della caduta del Grande Impero: gli Andat.
Entità semidivine che vengono materializzate e schiavizzate dai Poeti, persone dotate di particolari qualità mentali e psicologiche, addestrate alle antiche grammatiche e alla storia per poter descrivere pienamente l’entità che vogliono materializzare e incatenare al loro desiderio.
Entità che sono poco più che idee, rese reali dal potere del Poeta… Poeta che però rimane anch’egli legato al suo andat per tutta la vita, con l’andat che in ogni modo, come gli antichi Genii, cercherà di trovare falle nella sua descrizione per potersi liberare e vendicare, esigendo il proprio prezzo per il Poeta che fallisce.
Questi regni divisi in caste, tra cittadini del regno e mercanti.
Le usanze barbare dei re, dei Khai, che prevedono molteplici mogli, e una guerra fratricida tra i primi tre figli maschi per ottenere il titolo di successore del padre. Mentre gli altri figli maschi vengono mandati a fare i poeti: chi riesce diventa un poeta, chi non riesce viene comunque marchiato e non potrà ambire mai a rientrare nella famiglia, al proprio posto.
E’ interessante anche la storia, che ci mostra un giovane apprendista poeta che decide di andarsene dalla scuola quando viene scelto per essere un Poeta vero e proprio, disprezzando gli insegnamenti ricevuti dai suoi maestri, e deciso a vivere in incognito la propria vita per non essere ucciso, partendo dal basso e conducendo una vita semplice e felice.
Finché non incontra Maati, un suo vecchio studente alla scuola. Maati che ora è apprendista del Poeta di una città, un Poeta sfortunato che si è legato a vita a un Andat con un contratto orrendo e masochista… un Andat dotato di intelligenza e libero arbitrio, un Andat che complotta apertamente per distruggere il proprio Poeta.
E alle spalle di tutto questo, un lontano impero guerriero sta cercando un modo per togliere di mezzo gli Andat e poter così invadere i regni ricchi e pacifici che stanno dominando il mondo grazie alla loro sicurezza.
Il problema di questo libro è che la storia alla fine pare fine a sé stessa. E come stand alone non dice granché questa trama.
Mentre per inquadrarla all’interno di una quadrilogia, mancano elementi forti che ci diano un quadro più generale, che ci facciano assaporare l’idea di uno schema più grande all’itnerno del quale inquadrare gli avvenimenti del primo libro.
Si intuisce qualcosa, ma è troppo vago, troppo piccolo, troppo in sordina per catturare realmente la nostra attenzione. Addirittura nessuno se lo fila, alla fin fine, neppure all’interno del libro. Neppure tra i protagonisti.
E questo rende meno piacevole l’intera storia.
Vedremo se il secondo libro riuscirà a risollevare l’interesse, e come il tutto comincerà a collegarsi.
A betrayal in winter
Secondo libro della saga The long price quartet.
La storia comincia un po’ di anni dopo gli eventi di A shadow in summer, e ritroviamo Otah che ha accettato la proposta ricevuta nel primo libro, diventando così un corriere.
Riesce bene nel suo lavoro, è ben visto e benvoluto. Ha una relazione con Kiyan, una locandiera. Tutto procede per il meglio, per lui… ma su nel nord, nelle regioni fredde e remote da cui proviene lo stesso Otah, qualcosa sta accadendo.
Il vecchio Khai Machi sta morendo, e i suoi figli -in maniera anomala- ancora non si sono uccisi a vicenda.
I fratelli di Otah.
I tre figli maggiori hanno condotto in pace la loro vite, prendendo mogli, avendo figli.
Ora si ritrovano a doversi uccidere a vicenda per ottenere il titolo di Khai… con la minaccia fantasma del sesto figlio che era fuggito dalla scuola dei poeti, senza ricevere il marchio. Otah.
Quando il primo dei tre fratelli viene ucciso col veleno da una nostra vecchia conoscenza, i restanti fratelli pensano a Otah e chiedono aiuto al Dai-kvo per capire chi sia dietro questo omicidio. E il sommo Poeta manda Maati con loro, dato che è l’unico a conoscere Otah e a poter dire se sia lui dietro a questo omicidio, ed eventualmente catturarlo.
Il caso vuole che Otah venga spedito a Machi come corriere, per ottenere informazioni su ciò che sta accadendo.
Quello che accade dopo è abbastanza ovvio: Maati che crede alla sua innocenza, lui che si consegna al Khai per evitare ripercussioni sull’amata (che, saputa la verità, lo ha cacciato per timore che i suoi fratelli la trovassero e la uccidessero per vendetta), i Galtici dietro a questa macchinazione di nuovo.
Già, i Galtici precedentemente salvati dall’omicidio di Otah, ora sono interessati alla biblioteca di Machi.
E per arrivarci stanno appoggiando un piano folle che prevede la morte di tutti i pretendenti al trono, così da far salire al potere una nuova casata, con i giusti agganci e una posizione forte di partenza grazie alla parentela con il Khai attuale.
Entra in scena il mercenario Shinja, che giocherà un poco il ruolo di deus ex-machina in questo libro grazie a un tradimento del tutto inaspettato che risolverà la situazione a favore di Otah.
E proseguendo con la storia, mentre la situazione si fa sempre più chiara appare lampante come ci sia un solo esito possibile per l’intera vicenda, l’incoronazione di Otah.
Meglio del primo libro, ma resta un senso di incompiutezza.
Questi due libri sono stati solo il prologo, i Galtici sono una presenza troppo costante e ingombrante per non essere il vero piatto forte di questa storia e con questo secondo libro la cosa è divenuta lampante e chiara.
Resta da capire come evolverà la vicenda.
Inoltre una cosa che non mi è piaciuta è la sensazione che Otah sia la prima volta di tutto.
La prima volta che un figlio di un Khai fugge senza marchio dalla scuola; la prima volte che uno studente dà un indizio a un altro bambino; la prima volta che i Poeti si immischiano nella politica; la prima volta che ci sono cospirazioni più ampie della solita carneficina tra fratelli; la prima volta per tutto quanto.
Che era essenzialmente la cosa che non mi era piaciuto del libro di Ishiguro, facendomelo valutare maluccio malgrado la bella idea…
Con questo libro (in realtà la prima parte di uno dei due volumi che raccolgono la quadrilogia) comincio la lettura della saga di Daniel Abraham, The long price quartet.
Una saga fortemente sponsorizzata da Tintaglia (che, in effetti, mi ha passato i due tomi lo scorso anno per farmela leggere, da brava spacciatrice di testi).
Devo ammettere però che, alla fine, questo primo libro è stato abbastanza deludente.
La scrittura dell’autore è ottima, e tiene il lettore incollato alle pagine.
L’ambientazione che è stata costruita è ottima, con una serie di regni che si sono elevati al di sopra e al di fuori dal resto del mondo, forti del possesso di un’arma invincibile che gli ha garantito una pace senza precedenti dal tempo della caduta del Grande Impero: gli Andat.
Entità semidivine che vengono materializzate e schiavizzate dai Poeti, persone dotate di particolari qualità mentali e psicologiche, addestrate alle antiche grammatiche e alla storia per poter descrivere pienamente l’entità che vogliono materializzare e incatenare al loro desiderio.
Entità che sono poco più che idee, rese reali dal potere del Poeta… Poeta che però rimane anch’egli legato al suo andat per tutta la vita, con l’andat che in ogni modo, come gli antichi Genii, cercherà di trovare falle nella sua descrizione per potersi liberare e vendicare, esigendo il proprio prezzo per il Poeta che fallisce.
Questi regni divisi in caste, tra cittadini del regno e mercanti.
Le usanze barbare dei re, dei Khai, che prevedono molteplici mogli, e una guerra fratricida tra i primi tre figli maschi per ottenere il titolo di successore del padre. Mentre gli altri figli maschi vengono mandati a fare i poeti: chi riesce diventa un poeta, chi non riesce viene comunque marchiato e non potrà ambire mai a rientrare nella famiglia, al proprio posto.
E’ interessante anche la storia, che ci mostra un giovane apprendista poeta che decide di andarsene dalla scuola quando viene scelto per essere un Poeta vero e proprio, disprezzando gli insegnamenti ricevuti dai suoi maestri, e deciso a vivere in incognito la propria vita per non essere ucciso, partendo dal basso e conducendo una vita semplice e felice.
Finché non incontra Maati, un suo vecchio studente alla scuola. Maati che ora è apprendista del Poeta di una città, un Poeta sfortunato che si è legato a vita a un Andat con un contratto orrendo e masochista… un Andat dotato di intelligenza e libero arbitrio, un Andat che complotta apertamente per distruggere il proprio Poeta.
E alle spalle di tutto questo, un lontano impero guerriero sta cercando un modo per togliere di mezzo gli Andat e poter così invadere i regni ricchi e pacifici che stanno dominando il mondo grazie alla loro sicurezza.
Il problema di questo libro è che la storia alla fine pare fine a sé stessa. E come stand alone non dice granché questa trama.
Mentre per inquadrarla all’interno di una quadrilogia, mancano elementi forti che ci diano un quadro più generale, che ci facciano assaporare l’idea di uno schema più grande all’itnerno del quale inquadrare gli avvenimenti del primo libro.
Si intuisce qualcosa, ma è troppo vago, troppo piccolo, troppo in sordina per catturare realmente la nostra attenzione. Addirittura nessuno se lo fila, alla fin fine, neppure all’interno del libro. Neppure tra i protagonisti.
E questo rende meno piacevole l’intera storia.
Vedremo se il secondo libro riuscirà a risollevare l’interesse, e come il tutto comincerà a collegarsi.
A betrayal in winter
Secondo libro della saga The long price quartet.
La storia comincia un po’ di anni dopo gli eventi di A shadow in summer, e ritroviamo Otah che ha accettato la proposta ricevuta nel primo libro, diventando così un corriere.
Riesce bene nel suo lavoro, è ben visto e benvoluto. Ha una relazione con Kiyan, una locandiera. Tutto procede per il meglio, per lui… ma su nel nord, nelle regioni fredde e remote da cui proviene lo stesso Otah, qualcosa sta accadendo.
Il vecchio Khai Machi sta morendo, e i suoi figli -in maniera anomala- ancora non si sono uccisi a vicenda.
I fratelli di Otah.
I tre figli maggiori hanno condotto in pace la loro vite, prendendo mogli, avendo figli.
Ora si ritrovano a doversi uccidere a vicenda per ottenere il titolo di Khai… con la minaccia fantasma del sesto figlio che era fuggito dalla scuola dei poeti, senza ricevere il marchio. Otah.
Quando il primo dei tre fratelli viene ucciso col veleno da una nostra vecchia conoscenza, i restanti fratelli pensano a Otah e chiedono aiuto al Dai-kvo per capire chi sia dietro questo omicidio. E il sommo Poeta manda Maati con loro, dato che è l’unico a conoscere Otah e a poter dire se sia lui dietro a questo omicidio, ed eventualmente catturarlo.
Il caso vuole che Otah venga spedito a Machi come corriere, per ottenere informazioni su ciò che sta accadendo.
Quello che accade dopo è abbastanza ovvio: Maati che crede alla sua innocenza, lui che si consegna al Khai per evitare ripercussioni sull’amata (che, saputa la verità, lo ha cacciato per timore che i suoi fratelli la trovassero e la uccidessero per vendetta), i Galtici dietro a questa macchinazione di nuovo.
Già, i Galtici precedentemente salvati dall’omicidio di Otah, ora sono interessati alla biblioteca di Machi.
E per arrivarci stanno appoggiando un piano folle che prevede la morte di tutti i pretendenti al trono, così da far salire al potere una nuova casata, con i giusti agganci e una posizione forte di partenza grazie alla parentela con il Khai attuale.
Entra in scena il mercenario Shinja, che giocherà un poco il ruolo di deus ex-machina in questo libro grazie a un tradimento del tutto inaspettato che risolverà la situazione a favore di Otah.
E proseguendo con la storia, mentre la situazione si fa sempre più chiara appare lampante come ci sia un solo esito possibile per l’intera vicenda, l’incoronazione di Otah.
Meglio del primo libro, ma resta un senso di incompiutezza.
Questi due libri sono stati solo il prologo, i Galtici sono una presenza troppo costante e ingombrante per non essere il vero piatto forte di questa storia e con questo secondo libro la cosa è divenuta lampante e chiara.
Resta da capire come evolverà la vicenda.
Inoltre una cosa che non mi è piaciuta è la sensazione che Otah sia la prima volta di tutto.
La prima volta che un figlio di un Khai fugge senza marchio dalla scuola; la prima volte che uno studente dà un indizio a un altro bambino; la prima volta che i Poeti si immischiano nella politica; la prima volta che ci sono cospirazioni più ampie della solita carneficina tra fratelli; la prima volta per tutto quanto.
Che era essenzialmente la cosa che non mi era piaciuto del libro di Ishiguro, facendomelo valutare maluccio malgrado la bella idea…
June 19, 2022
Absolutely pitch-perfect epic fantasy writing. Abraham foregrounds character-work, but still provides an enthralling politically-driven plot and contains it all within extremely subtle, refreshingly-different world-building. For this, this is the absolute sweet-spot (Martin balances these elements similarly) and I couldn't love it more.
The characters are fantastic. They are layered, flawed and complex, and maybe most importantly, the setting and story are so unique that I have no idea what is going to happen to any of them. They don't feel "safe" in the way that many fantasy stories do, but I also absolutely adore the world-building and magic system, which are so subtle and interesting in comparison to most fantasy series.
This is one of those fantasy series that doesn't coddle you at the beginning. Things are confusing, and it takes some time before the nuances of the world start to make some sense, but wow does it ever pay off. I'm completely enthralled, and cannot recommend this highly enough, especially for people who are looking for something different in the saturated world of epic fantasy fiction.
The characters are fantastic. They are layered, flawed and complex, and maybe most importantly, the setting and story are so unique that I have no idea what is going to happen to any of them. They don't feel "safe" in the way that many fantasy stories do, but I also absolutely adore the world-building and magic system, which are so subtle and interesting in comparison to most fantasy series.
This is one of those fantasy series that doesn't coddle you at the beginning. Things are confusing, and it takes some time before the nuances of the world start to make some sense, but wow does it ever pay off. I'm completely enthralled, and cannot recommend this highly enough, especially for people who are looking for something different in the saturated world of epic fantasy fiction.
May 21, 2016
“Shadow and Betrayal” is the first omnibus of two in the Long Price Quartet series. It contains the first two books in the series: “A Shadow in Summer” and “A Betrayal in Winter”. Both books will first be discussed separately and afterwards I'll give an overall conclusion.
A Shadow in Summer:
The first book mostly plays out in Saraykeht, the dominating city of the Summer Cities. It has immeasurable wealth and a lot of this wealth comes forth from an andat named Seedless. It’s a creature made by the poet Heshai, most often described as an 'idea given volition'. It's Heshai who also controles the andat and he will do so until he dies and/or another poet takes his place. Together the poet and the andat not only ensure the wealth of the city, but also its safety, mostly from the Galts in the west who would like to conquer Saraykeht. This means that before the Galts can conquer Saraykeht they will need to remove Heshai and his andat. They already have the perfect plot to accomplish this …
I have to say that the story starts of pretty interesting with the prologue; it starts at the school where young children (sons of the Khai) are trained and educated in the hope to finally be chosen by the Dai-kvo to become one of the future poets. What follows next are some interesting chapters at first, following the main characters in Saraykeht, but unfortunately it doesn't take long before the story starts to dragg out. The pace goes down quickly and overall there isn't all that much happening.
Luckily the story has several aspects going for it. The characters are solid and the relationships among them make out an interesting and important part of the story. The story also has good world building; the society and its structure are nicely described and the world is also fleshed out nicely. On top of this the magic system with the andats is very different from what we’re used to. It also provides a satisfying ending with great consequences for Saraykeht and its future.
In the end I feel this was mostly an introduction to the world and the characters and a setting up for the next books. It certainly isn't an action packed story, it's more about the intrigue and the character relationships. A decent read!
Rating: 6.8/10 (3 Goodread stars)
A Betrayal in Winter:
Contrary to what I expected the story in the second book doesn’t continue in Saraykeht. We only get some glimpses of the fate of Saraykeht after the events in the first book. This time the story moves about 15 years into the future and is mainly situated in the north, in the city of Machi. Again the Galts try to manoeuvre the city politics in order to gain some advantage from it; they are responsible for the assassination of one of the sons of the Khai and with this they have set in motion the succession war for the Khai’s throne in Machi.
I felt that this one started off pretty strong as well, just like the first one. And although this one was also a slow burner, I felt it was more interesting as a whole. We again have a lot of intrigue and heart-breaking betrayals and in the centre of this are some of the characters we got to know in the first book. We learn what has happened to them these past years and how their lives have developed.
As with the first book the main strengths also lie in the characters; probably the most interesting new characters are the young poet Cehmai and his andat Stone-Made-Soft. I thought the concept of the andat and how it was controlled was also more interesting in this book. The character development and relationships were again greatly done, as was the world building. The story itself is slow placed, but provides some more interesting scenes then the first book does. In the end I also feel the second book is slightly better than the first.
Rating: 7.2 /10 (3 Goodread stars)
Conclusion:
I can say that the book has good writing, interesting and good developed characters, nice world building and intriguing magic. The story itself is good but not very exciting; it doesn’t have much action. The excitement there is mostly comes from intrigue and tension between characters. So in the end I can say that Daniel Abraham does a lot of good things in this book, but he doesn’t do anything extraordinary. My overall feeling is that this was just an ok read.
Does this mean that I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone else? Not necessarily! In the end it all depends on what you want from a fantasy novel. If you are satisfied with a lot of intrigue, solid characters and good character relationships, an interesting world with a different kind of magic … then this book could be something for you. If you absolutely search for a lot of action and you prefer epic fantasy with large battles, I think you’d better pass on this one. I myself don't need a full action packed story, but in this case the book really was way too slow for me to enjoy it a lot. It did get more interesting in the end, but by then I just wanted to be done with it and move on to my next read. That’s also the reason I’m currently reading something completely different before heading into the second omnibus.
Finally, I want to emphasize that “Shadow and Betrayal” certainly isn't a bad book, overall I still liked it, but it just wasn’t exactly what I want from fantasy (or at least not at this moment). From what I understood things will improve a lot in the second omnibus which contains the final two novels in the series; there should be a lot more excitement to come. I’ll be delving into this once I’ve finished my current read.
Rating: 7 / 10
A Shadow in Summer:
The first book mostly plays out in Saraykeht, the dominating city of the Summer Cities. It has immeasurable wealth and a lot of this wealth comes forth from an andat named Seedless. It’s a creature made by the poet Heshai, most often described as an 'idea given volition'. It's Heshai who also controles the andat and he will do so until he dies and/or another poet takes his place. Together the poet and the andat not only ensure the wealth of the city, but also its safety, mostly from the Galts in the west who would like to conquer Saraykeht. This means that before the Galts can conquer Saraykeht they will need to remove Heshai and his andat. They already have the perfect plot to accomplish this …
I have to say that the story starts of pretty interesting with the prologue; it starts at the school where young children (sons of the Khai) are trained and educated in the hope to finally be chosen by the Dai-kvo to become one of the future poets. What follows next are some interesting chapters at first, following the main characters in Saraykeht, but unfortunately it doesn't take long before the story starts to dragg out. The pace goes down quickly and overall there isn't all that much happening.
Luckily the story has several aspects going for it. The characters are solid and the relationships among them make out an interesting and important part of the story. The story also has good world building; the society and its structure are nicely described and the world is also fleshed out nicely. On top of this the magic system with the andats is very different from what we’re used to. It also provides a satisfying ending with great consequences for Saraykeht and its future.
In the end I feel this was mostly an introduction to the world and the characters and a setting up for the next books. It certainly isn't an action packed story, it's more about the intrigue and the character relationships. A decent read!
Rating: 6.8/10 (3 Goodread stars)
A Betrayal in Winter:
Contrary to what I expected the story in the second book doesn’t continue in Saraykeht. We only get some glimpses of the fate of Saraykeht after the events in the first book. This time the story moves about 15 years into the future and is mainly situated in the north, in the city of Machi. Again the Galts try to manoeuvre the city politics in order to gain some advantage from it; they are responsible for the assassination of one of the sons of the Khai and with this they have set in motion the succession war for the Khai’s throne in Machi.
I felt that this one started off pretty strong as well, just like the first one. And although this one was also a slow burner, I felt it was more interesting as a whole. We again have a lot of intrigue and heart-breaking betrayals and in the centre of this are some of the characters we got to know in the first book. We learn what has happened to them these past years and how their lives have developed.
As with the first book the main strengths also lie in the characters; probably the most interesting new characters are the young poet Cehmai and his andat Stone-Made-Soft. I thought the concept of the andat and how it was controlled was also more interesting in this book. The character development and relationships were again greatly done, as was the world building. The story itself is slow placed, but provides some more interesting scenes then the first book does. In the end I also feel the second book is slightly better than the first.
Rating: 7.2 /10 (3 Goodread stars)
Conclusion:
I can say that the book has good writing, interesting and good developed characters, nice world building and intriguing magic. The story itself is good but not very exciting; it doesn’t have much action. The excitement there is mostly comes from intrigue and tension between characters. So in the end I can say that Daniel Abraham does a lot of good things in this book, but he doesn’t do anything extraordinary. My overall feeling is that this was just an ok read.
Does this mean that I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone else? Not necessarily! In the end it all depends on what you want from a fantasy novel. If you are satisfied with a lot of intrigue, solid characters and good character relationships, an interesting world with a different kind of magic … then this book could be something for you. If you absolutely search for a lot of action and you prefer epic fantasy with large battles, I think you’d better pass on this one. I myself don't need a full action packed story, but in this case the book really was way too slow for me to enjoy it a lot. It did get more interesting in the end, but by then I just wanted to be done with it and move on to my next read. That’s also the reason I’m currently reading something completely different before heading into the second omnibus.
Finally, I want to emphasize that “Shadow and Betrayal” certainly isn't a bad book, overall I still liked it, but it just wasn’t exactly what I want from fantasy (or at least not at this moment). From what I understood things will improve a lot in the second omnibus which contains the final two novels in the series; there should be a lot more excitement to come. I’ll be delving into this once I’ve finished my current read.
Rating: 7 / 10
October 11, 2020
This copy is book 1 & 2 of the quartet that makes up The Long Price.
It took a bit of time for me to get into this book, but boy it was worth it.
I generally prefer more action, more *BOOM* so to speak than this series offers so far.
The Long Price however does have very good writing, emotion, a unique magic system that, although central to the story is not used very often and quality world building with a very Asian feel instead of the normal Euro-Centric type we see most often.
This is definitely an enjoyable read and I look forward to sitting down with the second half in a few days.
It took a bit of time for me to get into this book, but boy it was worth it.
I generally prefer more action, more *BOOM* so to speak than this series offers so far.
The Long Price however does have very good writing, emotion, a unique magic system that, although central to the story is not used very often and quality world building with a very Asian feel instead of the normal Euro-Centric type we see most often.
This is definitely an enjoyable read and I look forward to sitting down with the second half in a few days.
August 7, 2023
Some great ideas in here - the gestures/poses that complement discussion in the book are written well and add to the immersion in the dialogue. The magic system is well considered too and different to anything I have encountered before. The story falls down in the almost total lack of anything actually happening. It took approximately 500 pages for things to start moving so I found this book to be a real slog and nearly gave up on it.
In spite of being well written, this book really didn't capitalise on what I thought was a solid foundation. Had a lot of potential but fell short for me.
In spite of being well written, this book really didn't capitalise on what I thought was a solid foundation. Had a lot of potential but fell short for me.
December 29, 2019
I loved this fantasy quartet which challenges the standards of fantasy. Setting is not quasi medieval Europe, or so yt as all those are. Magic is very different. Concepts of power are held in thrall by poets whose words must be carefully chosen to be effective or they will die. It's also interesting to see the colonizers aren't the powerful ones, as they lack magic, but their technological advances far outstrip the nation states that depend upon magic to prosper.
October 17, 2025
I’ve had this book on my self forever. I’ve picked it up at least once to taste-tested and put it down.
I picked it up again last week … Once I got past a certain place … all other reads forgotten. 😂
I was hooked. I couldn’t put it down! 😲 such an amazing book. A 5-star read. Maybe my favorite of 2025. I was chewing my nails down to nubs all the way to final page. The intrigue. The tension. Beautiful world build and characters. Can’t say enough.
I picked it up again last week … Once I got past a certain place … all other reads forgotten. 😂
I was hooked. I couldn’t put it down! 😲 such an amazing book. A 5-star read. Maybe my favorite of 2025. I was chewing my nails down to nubs all the way to final page. The intrigue. The tension. Beautiful world build and characters. Can’t say enough.
July 3, 2022
Couldn't finish it. So many characters are introduced so quickly it's impossible to care about any of them, especially as nothing happens in the first 100 pages.
It's a real shame as I was looking forward to trying this out. I love The Expanse books and was expecting more like that but in a fantasy setting. Sadly it was just dull.
It's a real shame as I was looking forward to trying this out. I love The Expanse books and was expecting more like that but in a fantasy setting. Sadly it was just dull.
January 16, 2024
A compelling first two instalments in the quartet. Refreshing to find a fantasy epic not set in universe analogous to medieval Europe or peddling a generic meek-protagonist-becomes-chosen-one-defeats-great-evil-power plot line. I enjoyed part 2 a lot more than part 1, which was a little under-ambitious in how it kicked off the series, but am very much looking to the next two books.
January 24, 2024
Slow burn fantasy, involving family drama, lines of succession and well developed characters and interpersonal relationships where you can feel the pressure and tension gradually being cranked up, and up, and up.
It took me a while to get used to the honorifics, and the naming conventions don’t work for me, but otherwise this is a very good story.
It took me a while to get used to the honorifics, and the naming conventions don’t work for me, but otherwise this is a very good story.
July 23, 2018
Two very good books.
The magic is original and the politics is viscous and believable.
The characters are well written, changing as they get older and experience more.
The endings are both good but the first one is better, Seedless steals the show.
The magic is original and the politics is viscous and believable.
The characters are well written, changing as they get older and experience more.
The endings are both good but the first one is better, Seedless steals the show.
August 2, 2019
Amazing worldbuilding - it really swept me off my feet. Intriguing characters and interesting interactions between them. It is, however, the opposite of action-packed, and sometimes, especially during the second half of the first volume it was a little slow for my taste.
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