Fortress of Dragons

Fortress #4

by C.J. Cherryh

Shadows from another realm threaten the world with eternal darkness as this “stunning high-fantasy series” continues (Denver Post).An ancient war between shadowy Immortals persists to this day, thanks to the wizard Mauryl and the Shaping he conjured to face the Shadows of Chaos. Both more and less than human, Tristen is that Shaping. And his victories have won his friend Cefwyn both a kingdom and true love.But the Lines that hold the world in place are shifting again. A ruthless enemy is preparing for battle. Once again, Tristen will take up the sword inscribed with “Truth” and “Illusion” on its blade. But he faces more than a pretender to Cefwyn’s throne. The Shadows he sees are straight from Ruin—a flow of darkness covering the world like ink . . .

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Magic

576 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Currently resident in Spokane, Washington, C.J. Cherryh has won four Hugos and is one of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed authors in the science fiction and fantasy field. She is the author of more than forty novels. Her hobbies include travel, photography, reef culture, Mariners baseball, and, a late passion, figure skating: she intends to compete in the adult USFSA track. She began with the modest ambition to learn to skate backwards and now is working on jumps. She sketches, occasionally, cooks fairly well, and hates house work; she loves the outdoors, animals wild and tame, is a hobbyist geologist, adores dinosaurs, and has academic specialties in Roman constitutional law and bronze age Greek ethnography. She has written science fiction since she was ten, spent ten years of her life teaching Latin and Ancient History on the high school level, before retiring to full time writing, and now does not have enough hours in the day to pursue all her interests. Her studies include planetary geology, weather systems, and natural and man-made catastrophes, civilizations, and cosmology…in fact, there's very little that doesn't interest her. A loom is gathering dust and needs rethreading, a wooden ship model awaits construction, and the cats demand their own time much more urgently. She works constantly, researches mostly on the internet, and has books stacked up and waiting to be written.

Reviews

[Samantha (AK) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review may contain minor spoilers for previous installments

Well, 11 days (!) after starting this series, I've reached the end. (Yes, there is one more book, but it's a next-gen sequel to the first four, and I'm going to give it a few months before I tackle it.) It's always weird to finish a series, especially when you've binge-read it, and this is no exception. I feel melancholy, and it's messing with my reading perceptions.

What a man started in his lifetime, his sons--and his daughters--needs must finish, and in finishing, set the incomplete pattern for their sons and daughters.

Fortress of Dragons picks up immediately where Fortress of Owls left off. I've seen some claims that they were meant to be one book, but haven't been able to dig up confirmation of that. If true, it would have been a very long book, indeed. Regardless, this is the book where everything comes together: Tristen's destiny, the fate of Elwynor and Ylesuin, Cefwyn's campaign, the Aswydds... I hardly know where to start.

Cefwyn is all-but alone in the North, and this makes him rather more solemn than he was in the first two books. As the series has gone on, and the King's situation grown more dire, the humor has lessened significantly. But Cefwyn needs to be alone, I think, to really come into his own. Even though it's painful. Likewise Tristen, with all his support, must face the truth of Who and What he is... and Who and What he chooses to be.

I had to come back and revise this review, because I finally put my finger on what's been nagging me. Back in Fortress of Eagles, it seemed clear that we were concerned with the fallout from Fortress in the Eye of Time; politics, geography, logistics and, of course, what was to be done about Tristen. There were hints that not all was as it seemed, but it was largely background. There were suspicious glimmers through Eagles, and in Owls. And then, halfway through Dragons, the magical confrontation from the first book becomes so overwhelmingly relevant that the more practical war being fought is nearly eclipsed.

But only nearly. And it has a sense of settling-in, a sense of 'this has to happen.' It's not bad, and (given the hints in previous books) I do think it's necessary.

The final conflict is a bit vague, taking place simultaneously in the physical battle against Tasmôrden and the great metaphysical conflict for which Tristen has always been the pivot-point. And it's not definitive, not obvious victory by obvious means, but it's sensible in the way that magic is sensible (and not wizardry, for they're not at all the same thing.)

And it's a good ending, in the way that Cherryh writes such things. Not a "Happily Ever After," but always "Happy for Now." In a series so bound to history and inheritance, a new pattern is set, a new history laid down for the next generation. 4 stars.

[Richelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good as always, though I always feel Cherryh doesn’t know where to end the story.

[Simon Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic Cherryh. Satisfying and explosive end, and a great read as the characters are by now (four books into the series) embedded in my head and easy to visualise. Whilst the first book in the series remains the best, each of the ones that follow are worthy additions.

[Evan Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second half of the third book in the series.
#1 Fortress in the Eye of Time - loved by some for its rich and slow introduction into the country of Ylesuin through the eyes of the innocent and newly created Tristen. ( maligned by others for a slow confusing start of 200 pages) ..but a great coming of age story with mystery and magic.

#2 Fortress of Eagles - a little too much of a repeat of the formula presented in FiEoT. Tristen goes back inexplicably to not know what is going on for 200 pages and the Father figure of Mauryl is replaced by the King Cefwyn and the guard Uwen..but it eventually picks up and has a nice finish.

#3 Fortress of Owls - the last book in the trilogy sees Tristen coming into his own and not merely a repeat of the first story..but Cherryh couldn't finish the story in time for publishing deadlines so the editors just cleaned it up and published it ONLY HALF DONE..

Which brings us to #3 part two. Fortress of Dragons.
The plot lines all come together in this final book in the trilogy. The final battle between the still mysterious Evil happens, political intrigue abounds for the GOT fans..etc. The author likes mysticism and mystery to surround magic. While we get more glimpses and explanations into what Tristen is and how magic works..it is still a mystery. I see some reviewers really did not like that.
Cherryh never does like to end everything with a nice happy "THE END" however. So there seems to be a sequel set years in the future Fortress of Ice. ( next on my reading list)

[Cody · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's been a while since I finished this book, so pardon the abbreviated review.

Fortress of Dragons is solid 80's fantasy, as I've started to think of it. I don't know the publication date off the top of my head, but it matches the style of so many fantasy novels of that decade - long and dense in descriptions of things and character thoughts/motivations.

And that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it also has the nebulous, not-quite-sure-what-it-is big bad that is defeated in a nebulous not-quite-sure-why-that-defeated-it kind of way that was common back in the day.

For me, sometimes it's nice to read a book where the magic is nebulous(love this word today) and not even the main protag knows what he's doing, but using that kind of magic does necessitate taking rational steps out of the equation and this leads to wtf moments where things just tend to go the way the protagonist wants them to, which removes a lot of the tension.

Overall, this was an okay book in an okay series, if you're up for some 80's Fantasy. The author is obviously very talented. I also really liked the various politicking that goes on, but I know that's no for everyone and kind of slowed down the middle two books.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have roughly the same things to say about volumes 2-4 of the Fortress series: I enjoyed spending more time with Tristen and his crew, and watching him go from strength to strength, and Cherryh's slow-burn-big-payoff storytelling style. But I grew increasingly frustrated with Cefwyn, who seems to perpetually create his own problems by not following the cold-blooded advice of his right-hand, Idrys, to be less merciful and just kill the guy(s) causing the problems. The reason given is always that Cefwyn wants to be more merciful than his predecessors, and to give in to utilitarian killing would be to cease to be himself, but that stops being a relatable trait after you continue to see the consequences of his light-handed approach spiral out over four books and cause all of the major conflicts. It distanced me from the story because I kept thinking, "none of this would have happened if you'd just .... ." And the magic system continues to be too loosey-goosey, lacking an internal logic that makes it clear what is dramatic about magical events, what the costs or consequences of its use or abuse are.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

This concludes the "Fortress" trilogy ( Fortress of Eagles , Fortress of Owls and Fortress of Dragons), which is itself a sequel to Fortress in the Eye of Time . This book dragged, the ending was confusing and unconvincing, and it more or less ruined the entire trilogy for me. Grr.

[Scott Rezer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great ending to a great series... but not as satisfying an ending as one could wish after four books. We don’t know what happens afterwards. True, there is a fifth book, but it is more sequel than a conclusion. I wish Ms. Cherryh would have written one more chapter and brought this wonderful series to a clearer ending, but perhaps, she meant it this way. Let us as readers use the magic of our own imagination to imagine the ending we would wish to see. A masterful series, every last written word, whether read for the first time or the tenth!

[Fred · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall this whole series was good, but not great. Way too slow in tempo. It should have been shortened to only 2 books. This last book was not very good and you really need the last book to be great otherwise it drags down the whole thing. The final confrontation between the king and the traitors was very disappointing and over in 2 seconds.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second read Aug 26, 2008

[Linda]

My kindle version has, still has (imagine that), it needs re-edited. The story is still great. I think I'm in love with Tristen.

[Caleb Best · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top three characters in the series - Cefwyn, Uwen, Tristan

This series is fantastic! I am so glad I got back to finishing this series because it is most likely going in my top 10. Yes, I say this every time I finish a series but I feel good about this one!

The standout element for me is the characters. Complex, real, and overall unique. From the innocent bird loving, Tristan, to the wry humorous Cerwyn, or even the honest and simple Uwen, every character gets there moment under the sun.

I do feel like this is a series that works well as a whole and individually. Yes I think you will get more enjoyment from the story if you judge each book as a peice of a full picture, but I still think each installment can hold its own with the best of them!

This being my 7th C.J. Cherryh novel, I can say without a doubt that I am in love with her style of writing. Every word is chosen for a reason and you can feel that. Yes, it’s is slow story and you can argue not much happens for a majority of the books, but is that not life. Cherryh makes you get comfortable with appreciating the mundanity that is day to day, and I, am all for it!

[Jett Wyatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Generally, I love CJ Cherryh's books. This series was an almost-love. This time, the stream of consciousness dithering that both Tristen & Cefwyn indulge in got a bit tedious and made me want to take a break midway through the 3rd book. After a couple months, I picked it back up and regained my enthusiasm and read through to the end of #4. The other thing that made this a 4-star for me is the ending seemed rather abrupt. I was (not happily) surprised to come to the last page & had to think back to figure out what had actually happened in the final confrontation.

Still, the book is filled with interesting, multi-dimensional characters, suspense, great world-building, plot twists, and everything you would expect from Cherryh.

[Lucy Cummin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much that was unknown is settled by the end of this 4th offering: Tristen has made choices and has a deeper grasp of who he is and what he faces, even now, even if no one else knows the extent of it. The remaining mystery is what and who are the Shihhë, if he is not a who, exactly, then what is he? He is embodied in flesh, certainly, and yet . . . And Owl. I do wonder if we will ever know. A further wrinkle that emerges in book 4 amid much much drama, the next succession of the Marhanens and Elwynim, will also no doubt be the earthly subjest of the next and last book.****1/2

[Nella Goku · Rating 2 out of 5]

No dragons, all political war. This is the last book of a 6? Book series, so I really don't have any emotional connection/character development pride for the characters. There is a 20-page intro to this book to tell you what's been going on, but there are some crazy accents on names and places that are a little difficult to follow. The map pages in the beginning of the book feel useless- most of the places these characters are/travel to I cannot find on the map. I don't think I'll go back to the beginning of the series to read this.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe this book is the best of the series regarding the development of the plot. More entertaining somehow. Though the ending is quite a disappointment. Somehow it doesn't end, not like leaving the reader wanting to continue immediately with the next book, but just disappointed in a notion introduced so many times before that results boring.

[J And · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Book!

CJ Cherryh is a master of many things in her writing, including multidimensional characters, enthralling battle scenes, other worlds, and more. This book is an excellent example. You won't want to stop reading!

[AM · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a drag. I really tried to finish this - I really, really did! - but it was such a slow, boring slog that I didn't make it.

[Megan]

DNS 10/27/23

[Inky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apparently the next book (book 5) is not worth reading. So I wont. Burnt too often with bad final books ruining a series. I would rather retain happy memories of these first 4.

[Jackie Silk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each book in the series gets better.

[Catching Shadows · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fortress of Dragons ends the story arc that began in Fortress in the Eye of Time. In this book, Tristen makes many discoveries about himself, Cefwyn continues to battle treachery among his nobles and Ninévrisë has to deal with her husband’s wild oats. Mixed into the action and political intrigue is Cherryh’s usual arcs of character growth, interactions, and relationships.

At the end of Fortress of Owls, it is revealed that the convent where Orien and Tarien Aswydd had been held prisoner had been destroyed by men wearing uniforms identifying them as soldiers from Guelessar. Having nowhere else to go, they ran for Amefel, and both women end up in Tristen’s custody. Tristen also makes the discovery that Tarien is pregnant, and the father is Cefwyn. This is not a good thing to have come up,and things get worse when it turns out that Hasufin is planning on possessing Tarien’s baby (which temporarily turns Tarien into a temporary ally).

Meanwhile,Cefwyn is starting to move out and take on Tasmorden. Unfortunately, he has to deal with a treacherous baron and numerous other political and sorcerous difficulties without the help of Tristen who has problems of his own. (He spends a great deal of time wishing he had not tried reasoning with the northern lords, and regretting not having Tristen nearby.) When it becomes apparent that Ninévrisë is also expecting, he sends her to Amefel for additional protection.

Efanor also has a part to play in this story. It turns out that Efanor also possesses a wizardly talent, and Tristen enlists his aid to protect the Quinaltine church Ylesuin’s capital city. (The problem involved is that when the building had been built, it had caused a magical disturbance of some sort which attracted and trapped spirits, which made the place open to sorcerous attack.) Efanor doesn’t quite believe Tristen at first, but Tristen manages to convince him of the importance of the task. (Efanor pretty much makes up for his earlier, nastier impulses with this scene.)

The emotional arc as Tristen struggles with the knowledge of his past life, and with his desire to not displace his friend Cefwyn despite prophecies,supernatural omens and just about everyone else demanding that he fulfill his“destiny” is one of the main reasons I enjoy this series so much. This does not seem to happen very often in epic fantasy or when it does, it results in tragedy. That this ends with a victory and with Cefwyn and Tristen remaining friends makes me very happy.

This was a very fast paced book, with a lot going on, all at once. I was a little confused in places, and I think I missed some things that were probably important. Another thing I had difficulty with was that I was not quite sure who or what the ultimate bad guy was supposed to be.

[Hunter Snider · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Myridian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the Fortress series and really feels like it completes the story for Tristen and Cefwyn. The book follows the campaign to take back the land of Elwynor from the military and wizardous forces that have taken it over.

The last book had lost some of the pacing and momentum of the previous two, but this book picks back up and moves you quickly through events that had a painterly feel to them. Tristen has come into his own as a magic wielder and Emuin's guidance is much more in the background. The way in which Cherryh uses the magical forces in this universe to propel the story forward was really interesting. Additionally, while the intrigue in the previous book felt as though it bogged down the story while in this book the intrigue enhances and is a counterpoint to the action.

All in all, not as strong a 5 as the first novel but wonderful nonetheless. I'm very much looking forward to the last in the series.

[Keith Vai · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in a few days right after reading the previous book.

While i enjoyed it, it was not great. Like some other authors, this book seems to make things up as it goes along instead of presenting a single tale across several volumes.

The climax of this book explains some things about Tristen but it also introduces even more questions and worse, a new enemy. After two books of build up, the climax does not feel that climactic. It does resolve some questions but it doesnt really feel like an ending.

So can we expect a 5th book? This book feels more like a pause, a chapter break, than it feels like a resolution.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this book, it was a good conclusion to the previous three, while leaving things open for the next book. The way magic works in this series has always been somewhat confusing, but I think they finally really nailed down what the difference between wizardry, sorcery and magic was. It was nice to see Tristen finally come into his full knowledge as well.

[Hanlie Wessels · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. The ending was rather confusing. Probably because I read it way too late at night.
I will probably read fortress of Ice later this summer, thereby finishing the series which I started reading over a decade ago. Finally :D

[Rik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was the most enjoyable book of the series, gripping, plenty of action, great story. The magic/ grey space scenes were a little confusing in parts, and the showdown with the unnamed evil seemed rather inconclusive - though, as I see there is a 5th book, maybe this was deliberate?

[Julaine]

Fourth in Series

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantasy