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The Fourth Talisman #1
Nocturne
Nocturne, a wilderness of eternal night.
Solis, a wasteland of endless day.
Nazafareen is a Breaker, a mortal who has the rare ability to shatter spell magic—although her power carries a high price. With the memories of her former self erased and nowhere else to turn, she comes to Nocturne hoping to start a new life under the triple moons of the darklands.
But when an assassin forces Nazafareen to flee to the sunlit mortal city of Delphi, she finds herself embroiled in a deeper mystery whose origins lie far in the past. Why was the continent sundered into light and dark a thousand years before? And what really happened to the elegant but ruthless creatures who nearly reduced the world to ashes? The new Oracle might know, but she’s outlawed magic and executes anyone caught practicing it. Nazafareen must hide her powers and find a way out of the city—before it’s too late.
As the net slowly tightens, something ancient and vengeful begins to stir in the arid death zone called the Kiln. A dashing daeva named Darius is pursuing Nazafareen, but so are a multitude of enemies. War is brewing again. Can she stay alive long enough to stop it?
So begins the first installment of an epic new fantasy series from the author of the Fourth Element Trilogy!
Solis, a wasteland of endless day.
Nazafareen is a Breaker, a mortal who has the rare ability to shatter spell magic—although her power carries a high price. With the memories of her former self erased and nowhere else to turn, she comes to Nocturne hoping to start a new life under the triple moons of the darklands.
But when an assassin forces Nazafareen to flee to the sunlit mortal city of Delphi, she finds herself embroiled in a deeper mystery whose origins lie far in the past. Why was the continent sundered into light and dark a thousand years before? And what really happened to the elegant but ruthless creatures who nearly reduced the world to ashes? The new Oracle might know, but she’s outlawed magic and executes anyone caught practicing it. Nazafareen must hide her powers and find a way out of the city—before it’s too late.
As the net slowly tightens, something ancient and vengeful begins to stir in the arid death zone called the Kiln. A dashing daeva named Darius is pursuing Nazafareen, but so are a multitude of enemies. War is brewing again. Can she stay alive long enough to stop it?
So begins the first installment of an epic new fantasy series from the author of the Fourth Element Trilogy!
400 pages, Unknown Binding
First published December 15, 2017
809 people are currently reading
1631 people want to read
About the author
Kat Ross
60 books806 followersKat Ross is an award-winning and bestselling fantasy author whose series range from the Persian-inspired Fourth Element to the cozy Ravencroft Hall books. She lives in Connecticut with her son and a gang (clowder?) of anarchist cats. When she’s not writing, you can find Kat wandering in the woods or poring over maps in the cartography turret. For more info, check out her website: www.katrossbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
February 9, 2018
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
When I started this book, I was thinking I'm missing something, something important, and that feeling stayed with me right the way through, and to be honest, I nearly dumped it a couple of times. I'm still not sure what kept me reading, but I did and that feeling led me to look at the author's other books.
And there is folks! What I've been missing is a whole THREE books set before this one, revolving around these main characters! Why was I not told this, when asked to read this one?? I don't know, but I'm annoyed, because whatever happened in those three books has a HUGE impact in this one, and my reading enjoyment suffered, greatly.
Oh, don't get me wrong, the book is well written, from all the major players points of view. It's neither graphic nor explicit, it moves at a fair and even pace. I saw no spelling or editing errors.
There is a much bigger picture that I'm not seeing going on. Whether that is because I didn't read the previous books, I don't know. It might just not have been laid out fully yet and all will become clear in the next books.
But for me, I can't get past not knowing about the other books that I SHOULD have read first. So if you come across this review, please PLEASE go back and read The Fourth Element trilogy before you read this one. You WILL need it.
Will I read future books in the series?? Probably not.
Because I DID finish it, and because everyone who needs to has a say...
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
When I started this book, I was thinking I'm missing something, something important, and that feeling stayed with me right the way through, and to be honest, I nearly dumped it a couple of times. I'm still not sure what kept me reading, but I did and that feeling led me to look at the author's other books.
And there is folks! What I've been missing is a whole THREE books set before this one, revolving around these main characters! Why was I not told this, when asked to read this one?? I don't know, but I'm annoyed, because whatever happened in those three books has a HUGE impact in this one, and my reading enjoyment suffered, greatly.
Oh, don't get me wrong, the book is well written, from all the major players points of view. It's neither graphic nor explicit, it moves at a fair and even pace. I saw no spelling or editing errors.
There is a much bigger picture that I'm not seeing going on. Whether that is because I didn't read the previous books, I don't know. It might just not have been laid out fully yet and all will become clear in the next books.
But for me, I can't get past not knowing about the other books that I SHOULD have read first. So if you come across this review, please PLEASE go back and read The Fourth Element trilogy before you read this one. You WILL need it.
Will I read future books in the series?? Probably not.
Because I DID finish it, and because everyone who needs to has a say...
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
June 19, 2019
The book was a real blast!!
Oh dear, I can't even being to put into words how amazing this book was.
I had missed Nazi & Darius so much, it was a real pleasure (the coming home sort of feeling) to meet them once again.
Although, at some point, I really wanted to take them aside and slap some damn sense into them, lol.
Anyway, I love each one of them so so much, I can't even bring to explain...
The new characters were really interesting ( except you Galen, you were just irritating...)
Javid was real fun (poor boy, he didn't know Nazi can be a sort of walking "disaster"). And Culach, was a revelation, respect for you man! (I'd never thought I'd say this haha).
The only complaint (not so much anyway) is that I missed Balthazar a little bit. But that's fine, it's just fangirling heart speaking!
The plot was terrific (hello, creepy-bitch oracle plus annoying lapdog) but I don't want to say more as to not spoil you anything.
You can enjoy Nocturne even without having read the first trilogy, still I'd advise to read it in order to enjoy this even more (you won't regret it, I promise!)
Oh dear, I can't even being to put into words how amazing this book was.
I had missed Nazi & Darius so much, it was a real pleasure (the coming home sort of feeling) to meet them once again.
Although, at some point, I really wanted to take them aside and slap some damn sense into them, lol.
Anyway, I love each one of them so so much, I can't even bring to explain...
The new characters were really interesting ( except you Galen, you were just irritating...)
Javid was real fun (poor boy, he didn't know Nazi can be a sort of walking "disaster"). And Culach, was a revelation, respect for you man! (I'd never thought I'd say this haha).
The only complaint (not so much anyway) is that I missed Balthazar a little bit. But that's fine, it's just fangirling heart speaking!
The plot was terrific (hello, creepy-bitch oracle plus annoying lapdog) but I don't want to say more as to not spoil you anything.
You can enjoy Nocturne even without having read the first trilogy, still I'd advise to read it in order to enjoy this even more (you won't regret it, I promise!)
February 8, 2018
Nocturne is an elemental magical fantasy with characters who would compel you to pick up the next in series and a creatively built world that wouldn't fail to amaze you at any point.
This is my first book by Kat Ross and am so happy I gave this one a try because she's definitely made it to my favourite author list. The Fourth Talisman series starts off from where The Fourth Element series ends and though I haven't read the first trilogy, I didn't find anything confusing while starting this series. So definitely give this a chance even if you haven't read The Fourth Element series.
The story revolves around Nazafareen who's suffering from a memory loss after an event that not only she doesn't remember but nobody wants her to remember either. But being the adamant and stubborn woman that she is, she decides to find out for herself, especially after a warning that clearly stated how everyone's going to die if she stays alive.
Let me start with one of the best aspects of this story: world-building. I absolutely loved the concept where the world is now divided into two hemispheres—one where the sun rules and daytime is all day, called the Solis, and the other where three moons rule and nighttime is for eternity, called the Nocturne. While the Solis works as a realm of the mortals, the darklands with moons is a realm of daevas who work with elemental magic. Both stay out of each other's business in order to maintain peace but things are turning around with a long lost and defeated daevas' clan returning to strike the world with a chaos. The story is ridden with descriptive settings, well-carried conversations, and scenic views that convey the mood of a particular scene amazingly.
There are a number of side characters added to the mix but none of them seemed forced into the list. Each one had a role to play in either Nazafareen's journey or walked a path of their own. Ranging over a wide range of motives, all had a logical reasoning behind every little move they made, thereby contributing to the character development that am sure the sequels would carry forward. Their thoughts and actions often came by as a surprise or shock, depending on who we are talking about. If I began to mention each and every one of them, not only would this review be spoiled but even the character limit would run out (exaggeration alert), so let's just say: each and every one of them would urge you to pick up the next in series asap.
Speaking of the urge to read the next book, the ending played a huge role in that compulsion of mine, as a reader. Though I'm not a huge fan of abrupt endings, I can understamd how this long series wouldn't work without it; it's undoubtedly an arc that needs to be fleshed out over multiple books. While this book doesn't give its readers a satisfactory full stop, it certainly doesn't draw them out of the world. In fact, there are more intriguing story lines and unanswered questions as we keep nearing the end. A bit of mythology has been added to the mix too that opens potential doors to more plot points in the future instalments, and adds more excitement to my bookish heart.
The writing is strong, precise, and cuts to the chase but doesn't neglect sequences that demand a wordy illustration. Narrated through multiple, third-person POVs, the story is said through majority prominent characters. The episodes with elemental magic are beautifully written, as are the supernatural phenomenons like stepping through invisible doors, or even supernatural creatures like chimeras for that matter. The world is complex but isn't hard to imagine with the location accounting as well as simplified distinction between the two parts of this world.
There are so many more astounding things I would love to state but I genuinely want this to be spoiler-free for Nocturne discloses secrets at almost every turn.
I would recommend this to those looking for an epic, high fantasy with a world where elemental magic and mythology are paired with distinctive character arcs and multiple story lines.
Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this as a part of a promotional blog tour but that in no way influences my rating and/or opinions about it. Thank you Acorn Publishing and Kat Ross!
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September 15, 2018
This book was provided to me from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.
I have been a fan of Kat Ross for years and years now, and if you haven't heard me raving about her books then I haven't been doing my job (or you should read my blog more often!). Nocturne is a new series spin-off of my all-time favorite underrated series, The Fourth Element. You can see my review for the first novel here.
My fangirling aside, Nocturne is a good start to a new series in the universe that I came to love in the previous books. The Fourth Element left off with a cliffhanger (which I will warn you is Ross's signature), but the action was picked up right off the bat with Nocturne. The story launched off the foundation of the earlier books, which let it explore new characters and new settings.
Nocturne is an expansion of the Fourth Element Trilogy, so we got to see different parts of the world and different characters. This was both a blessing and a curse though.
On one hand, I got to see more of the rich world and culture that was only hinted at in the first series. I loved the unique focus on Persian culture in the first series, and the trend is continued through this series, but with the exciting addition of the Greeks. Not only is the Persian culture infused in the plot, but also a new thread of Greek mythology was woven into the masterful tapestry Ross has created.
But, on the other hand, the focus was shifted from my favorite characters to other stories. The summary focuses mostly on Nazafareen, but her and Darius are only one facet of many stories being told. A lot of perspectives and veered a lot from the characters who I loved in the first series. I may sound like an obsessive fan whose OTP was being ignored (mostly because I am), but I still a little disappointed with the lack of Nazafareen and Darius in the new series.
Back to the positive, I loved the new perspective of the "villain" from the last series who I managed to come to love (which I thought was completely impossible). His perspective complicated the story (in a great way) and showed the complexity of the politics and relationships in this world.
That being said, my favorite part was the political and magical intrigue that made the stakes extremely high throughout the novel. Both the daevas and the humans are involved in political hierarchies, revenge plots, and power struggles that kept the action going. There were a lot of moving parts that seemed completely separate at first, but in the end came together to create one large tapestry of magic, danger, love, and loss.
The cliffhanger at the end was a shot to the heart, but also a reminder of how invested I was completely invested in the plot and the characters. Like, my heart was crushed and my soul enraged, but in the most beautiful way possible.
In Review
Nocturne is the expansion of Nazafareen's world that I was hoping for. I sacrificed some time with Nazafareen and Darius to learn about new characters and conflicts, but the trade was worth it for the added depth to the plot.
If you are looking for a complex cast of characters and culture that will consume you, heart and soul, look no farther than this series.
This review and other bookish shenanigans can be found on my original blog, Crazy for YA.
I have been a fan of Kat Ross for years and years now, and if you haven't heard me raving about her books then I haven't been doing my job (or you should read my blog more often!). Nocturne is a new series spin-off of my all-time favorite underrated series, The Fourth Element. You can see my review for the first novel here.
My fangirling aside, Nocturne is a good start to a new series in the universe that I came to love in the previous books. The Fourth Element left off with a cliffhanger (which I will warn you is Ross's signature), but the action was picked up right off the bat with Nocturne. The story launched off the foundation of the earlier books, which let it explore new characters and new settings.
Nocturne is an expansion of the Fourth Element Trilogy, so we got to see different parts of the world and different characters. This was both a blessing and a curse though.
On one hand, I got to see more of the rich world and culture that was only hinted at in the first series. I loved the unique focus on Persian culture in the first series, and the trend is continued through this series, but with the exciting addition of the Greeks. Not only is the Persian culture infused in the plot, but also a new thread of Greek mythology was woven into the masterful tapestry Ross has created.
But, on the other hand, the focus was shifted from my favorite characters to other stories. The summary focuses mostly on Nazafareen, but her and Darius are only one facet of many stories being told. A lot of perspectives and veered a lot from the characters who I loved in the first series. I may sound like an obsessive fan whose OTP was being ignored (mostly because I am), but I still a little disappointed with the lack of Nazafareen and Darius in the new series.
Back to the positive, I loved the new perspective of the "villain" from the last series who I managed to come to love (which I thought was completely impossible). His perspective complicated the story (in a great way) and showed the complexity of the politics and relationships in this world.
That being said, my favorite part was the political and magical intrigue that made the stakes extremely high throughout the novel. Both the daevas and the humans are involved in political hierarchies, revenge plots, and power struggles that kept the action going. There were a lot of moving parts that seemed completely separate at first, but in the end came together to create one large tapestry of magic, danger, love, and loss.
The cliffhanger at the end was a shot to the heart, but also a reminder of how invested I was completely invested in the plot and the characters. Like, my heart was crushed and my soul enraged, but in the most beautiful way possible.
In Review
Nocturne is the expansion of Nazafareen's world that I was hoping for. I sacrificed some time with Nazafareen and Darius to learn about new characters and conflicts, but the trade was worth it for the added depth to the plot.
If you are looking for a complex cast of characters and culture that will consume you, heart and soul, look no farther than this series.
This review and other bookish shenanigans can be found on my original blog, Crazy for YA.
January 31, 2018
Nazafareen and Darius are back! Yay!!
March 13, 2018
For complete review check out my blog at https://booksaplentybookreviews.blogs...
September 2, 2018
This fascinating story takes place in an imaginative fantasy world with magic and elements of Greek mythology, which the author has blended in a steady-paced plot full of intriguing concepts and interesting characters that readers want to know more about.
Read full review in the 2018 September issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2018 September issue of InD'tale Magazine.
July 7, 2021
DNF at 14%.
Kept feeling like a large part of the story was missing. Came on GR to look it up and found that yes, though this is apparently ‘book 1B’ in this series, there’s a whole trilogy that comes before it.
Poor branding.
The original trilogy sounds decent but i struggle with both YA and slavery themes, so im dropping it entirely.
That said, the portion I did read was well-written and interesting.
Kept feeling like a large part of the story was missing. Came on GR to look it up and found that yes, though this is apparently ‘book 1B’ in this series, there’s a whole trilogy that comes before it.
Poor branding.
The original trilogy sounds decent but i struggle with both YA and slavery themes, so im dropping it entirely.
That said, the portion I did read was well-written and interesting.
Read
March 19, 2018More of Nazafareen's tale? I can hardly WAIT!
Oh, thank you Kat Ross, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Oh, thank you Kat Ross, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
October 7, 2018
(English Below)
Още веднъж Кат Рос доказва, че знае как използва познанията си в областта на митологията. Nocturne предлага много по-даева-ориентирано приключение, този път с привкус на Древна Гърция, а не Персия. Светът е разцепен и като него се разделят Дариус и Назафарийн, но на висока цена.
Макар че стъпва на митология и фолклор, които са дъвкани от толкова много автори преди и с нея, Рос успява да даде нов нюанс на събитията и лекотата, с която вплита реални елементи в магичния си свят. Книгата е по-бавна, защото служи като представяне на нови персонажи, нов свят и нови антагонисти, които далеч не са малко на брой. Все така интересна и завладяваща е като предшествениците си и съм убедена, че историята набира скорост в следващите книги. И нямам търпение да ги прочета!
А вие може да прочетете цялото ревю тук и после елате да споделите своето мнение за поредицата!
---
Again, I am convinced how well does Ross know her mythology. Nocturne offers a magical adventure through Ancient Greece, instead of Persia, this time. It is much more daeva-focused which makes me very happy, I am truly interested in magical concepts, and originality authors try to explore in their writing.
The world is broken, and so are Nazafareen and Darius. While they try to overcome various life-threatening challenges, a new adversary arises from the shadows. Even though the Ancient Greece tropes have been over-used by contemporary authors, Ross has that delicate touch that weaves everything in the right place and makes it times more interesting.
The book is slower than the usual pace of her works, but I guess it's because it serves as an introduction to a new world and tries to ease-in a multitude of characters. I expect the story to become more action-packed and exciting further in the series.
Still, a style and story I love and I am quickly proceeding further.
Още веднъж Кат Рос доказва, че знае как използва познанията си в областта на митологията. Nocturne предлага много по-даева-ориентирано приключение, този път с привкус на Древна Гърция, а не Персия. Светът е разцепен и като него се разделят Дариус и Назафарийн, но на висока цена.
Макар че стъпва на митология и фолклор, които са дъвкани от толкова много автори преди и с нея, Рос успява да даде нов нюанс на събитията и лекотата, с която вплита реални елементи в магичния си свят. Книгата е по-бавна, защото служи като представяне на нови персонажи, нов свят и нови антагонисти, които далеч не са малко на брой. Все така интересна и завладяваща е като предшествениците си и съм убедена, че историята набира скорост в следващите книги. И нямам търпение да ги прочета!
А вие може да прочетете цялото ревю тук и после елате да споделите своето мнение за поредицата!
---
Again, I am convinced how well does Ross know her mythology. Nocturne offers a magical adventure through Ancient Greece, instead of Persia, this time. It is much more daeva-focused which makes me very happy, I am truly interested in magical concepts, and originality authors try to explore in their writing.
The world is broken, and so are Nazafareen and Darius. While they try to overcome various life-threatening challenges, a new adversary arises from the shadows. Even though the Ancient Greece tropes have been over-used by contemporary authors, Ross has that delicate touch that weaves everything in the right place and makes it times more interesting.
The book is slower than the usual pace of her works, but I guess it's because it serves as an introduction to a new world and tries to ease-in a multitude of characters. I expect the story to become more action-packed and exciting further in the series.
Still, a style and story I love and I am quickly proceeding further.
December 16, 2018
I picked Kat Ross’ Nocturne because I loved the cover... and the hint that I’d be reading about the ancient world, which is my favorite. Ross is a master world builder. I recognized the names of Phthia, Apollo, Artemis...but not the way I expected. Ross built a completely unique world within Nocturne and Solis. Nocturne is a perpetual twilight world ruled by triple moons and Solis ruled by light.
First we meet the heroine, Nazafareen, living in the twilight world of Nocturne clueless about all the details of her past. She’s a mystery to herself, but not to Darius, who’d been her bonded partner and savior. Nazafareen is a mortal who wields forbidden magic.
Nazafareen feels compelled to find out about her past, making the dangerous journey to Solis. As she discovers amphitheaters and the great library, she wonders if she will be found out. Despised. Meanwhile, Darius pursues her at his own peril, using his powers at great physical cost.
We also get to meet Culach and Mina...I really liked Culach. He’s arrogant, but desperately in love at the same time. He’s not a man of soft poetry. It’s sweetly sexy.
Nocturne has all the elements I like best about epic fantasy: multiple character POVs and complex plots with just enough mystery to keep you turning pages. Now, I’m curious about the Fourth Element trilogy, as this was my first book by this author.
Ross’s writing is witty, tightly worded and fast paced. Looking forward to more.
I requested this book via Xpresso Books booklist. My review is my own and
voluntary.
First we meet the heroine, Nazafareen, living in the twilight world of Nocturne clueless about all the details of her past. She’s a mystery to herself, but not to Darius, who’d been her bonded partner and savior. Nazafareen is a mortal who wields forbidden magic.
Nazafareen feels compelled to find out about her past, making the dangerous journey to Solis. As she discovers amphitheaters and the great library, she wonders if she will be found out. Despised. Meanwhile, Darius pursues her at his own peril, using his powers at great physical cost.
We also get to meet Culach and Mina...I really liked Culach. He’s arrogant, but desperately in love at the same time. He’s not a man of soft poetry. It’s sweetly sexy.
Nocturne has all the elements I like best about epic fantasy: multiple character POVs and complex plots with just enough mystery to keep you turning pages. Now, I’m curious about the Fourth Element trilogy, as this was my first book by this author.
Ross’s writing is witty, tightly worded and fast paced. Looking forward to more.
I requested this book via Xpresso Books booklist. My review is my own and
voluntary.
December 26, 2023
the only reason i didn't give it 5 stars is probably because i read the first half of the first book two years ago and only now finished it. as i've said for many other books, this didn't happend because i didn't enjoy it but just because i had an awful reader's block that made me read very few books. also, i read this in the ebook version, which i always struggle with; i think i'll buy the whole series sooner or later, but i have many more books to finish reading before this happens.
anyways: the writing style is awesome and there were so many sentences that made me literally slap my finger at the screen to highlight them because they were just so good. and the plot twists? amazing. everything was beautiful in this book.
i'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading fantasy with A LOT of magic going around.
anyways: the writing style is awesome and there were so many sentences that made me literally slap my finger at the screen to highlight them because they were just so good. and the plot twists? amazing. everything was beautiful in this book.
i'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading fantasy with A LOT of magic going around.
January 7, 2024
A delicious beginning to a new series!
I love Kat Ross’s books for the unique magic, the complicated heroes and villains, the plot twists and the world building. Oh that incredible world-building! Wind ships, Greek and Persian gods and monsters, and mortals who hide in the shadows. Can’t wait for the next book.
I love Kat Ross’s books for the unique magic, the complicated heroes and villains, the plot twists and the world building. Oh that incredible world-building! Wind ships, Greek and Persian gods and monsters, and mortals who hide in the shadows. Can’t wait for the next book.
August 14, 2020
[actual rating 3.75 stars]
RTC!
RTC!
December 13, 2018
Quando la Dunwich mi ha avvertito di questa novità in arrivo, ho chiesto se avessi potuto leggerla perchè DOVEVO sapere come sarebbero continuate le avventure dei protagonisti de "Il Quarto Elemento".
Eh si, è la continuazione di una trilogia, ma non preoccupatevi se non l'avete letta perchè alla fine del romanzo l'autrice si rivolge a noi fan italiani(!!) ed oltre a ringraziarci per il calore con cui abbiamo accolto la precedente serie, ci lascia l'appunto che ha scelto apposta di "staccarle" non dando particolari elementi nel testo per fare in modo che chiunque potesse leggere questa nuova serie; in modo da poter incuriosire anche i novellini, che magari sono invogliati a tornare indietro e scoprire cosa avvenne prima ed andare a leggere i libri precedenti.
Quindi, che abbiate già letto "Il Quarto Elemento" oppure no, se questo romanzo vi incuriosisce fatevi avanti!
Cercherò di parlarne senza menzionare troppo la trilogia passata, così da non fare Spoiler involontari a chi si approccia al romanzo senza sapere niente, restando in linea di pensiero come l'autrice vorrebbe.
Nazafareen si trova a Nocturne, un luogo dove è sempre notte ed il tempo viene scandito da tre lune che si muovono nel cielo. Sa che non è casa sua, perchè intorno a lei ci sono solo Daeva e lei è umana, ma purtroppo non sa molto di più perchè ha completamente perso la memoria. Sa di avere il potere, come loro, di avvertire il Nesso e potersi collegare agli elementi e sa che uno in particolare non deve avvicinarlo più per la sua pericolosità: il fuoco. Un elemento che i Daeva non possono nemmeno toccare o morirebbero.
Lei è una figura temuta per questa dote, chiamata da loro "Il Distruttore"; e i suoi nemici non attendono molto prima di attaccare e provare ad ucciderla. Sarà la molla che spingerà definitivamente la ragazza a lasciare quel luogo in cerca della sua memoria perduta, senza la quale si sente totalmente smarrita. I suoi muscoli ricordano l'agilità della lotta e come combattere con la spada; l'istinto la porta al Nesso e agli elementi; il suo cuore le conferma che Darius vuole solo il suo bene..ma non le basta più.
Nonostante Darius sia sempre stato al suo fianco, non le ha dato niente per non voler cercare le risposte che le mancano ovunque creda di poterle trovare. E ciò la porterà lungo una strada tortuosa, lungo la quale finirà a Delfi, un luogo davvero pericoloso per gente come lei.
La lettura è alternata da molti punti di vista diversi fra loro, che fanno muovere la storia allargando la nostra mappa di quel nuovo mondo, portandoci a conoscere i vari clan dei Daeva, oltre a quello di Darius legato alla terra, scoprendo quello dell'aria, fra le montagne insieme ad un personaggio che abbiamo già conosciuto nella trilogia e che potremo conoscere meglio; e verrà accennato il terzo, quello legato all'acqua.
Ma c'è una minaccia, molto antica e sconosciuta, che si sta avvicinando.
Un popolo che si credeva distrutto secoli prima ma che sembra tornando.
Una lettura inizialmente lenta (per le basi che deve poter mettere; e nel mio caso, per cercare di riunire i puntini fra la trilogia passata e questo nuovo romanzo), ma che in breve da il via all'ennesima avventura nella quale Nazafareen si tuffa a capofitto, testarda come sempre, pensando solo all'obbiettivo e sperando che le diano tempo per tornare, come ha promesso. Cosa assurda, poichè Darius non la lascerebbe mai da sola, e le corre appresso, cercando di raggiungerla in tempo.
Un romanzo che incalza, sempre più veloce ed adrenalinico, aggiungendo sempre più elementi alla storia e facendoci scorrere veloci le pagine per sapere come andrà avanti la storia, lasciandoci con una curiosità davvero molto molto forte nel finale ed il cuore in gola per ciò che capita ai vari protagonisti.
Davvero una lettura bella ed interessante, la Ross ancora una volta ci porta a vivere una storia interessante, originale ed imprevedibile, da cui i lettori non riescono a staccarsi e vogliono di più, per scoprire come continuerà;
Personaggi che già conoscevamo ed altri nuovi, sempre resi in maniera concisa ma esaustiva, che grazie alle loro azioni e pensieri riescono a dare un'idea al lettore con chi ha a che fare, chi è quella persona in modo semplice ma ottimo, senza andare nel superfluo. Luoghi meravigliosi, questa volta inventati dalla creatività dell'autrice, che stiamo solo iniziando a scoprire. Inutile dire che scrive pure molto bene, rendendo questo libro scorrevole da leggere e riuscendo ad incollare alle pagine il lettore.
Che altro dire, si conferma bravissima in ciò che sta facendo!
Per nostra fortuna questi quattro romanzi della saga sono già stati pubblicati in lingua originale, quindi dobbiamo solo pazientare per la traduzione. Incrocio le dita che avvenga presto (devo sapere come va avanti la storia).
Consigliato? Assolutamente!
Anche sul blog https://viaggiatricepigra.blogspot.com/
Eh si, è la continuazione di una trilogia, ma non preoccupatevi se non l'avete letta perchè alla fine del romanzo l'autrice si rivolge a noi fan italiani(!!) ed oltre a ringraziarci per il calore con cui abbiamo accolto la precedente serie, ci lascia l'appunto che ha scelto apposta di "staccarle" non dando particolari elementi nel testo per fare in modo che chiunque potesse leggere questa nuova serie; in modo da poter incuriosire anche i novellini, che magari sono invogliati a tornare indietro e scoprire cosa avvenne prima ed andare a leggere i libri precedenti.
Quindi, che abbiate già letto "Il Quarto Elemento" oppure no, se questo romanzo vi incuriosisce fatevi avanti!
Cercherò di parlarne senza menzionare troppo la trilogia passata, così da non fare Spoiler involontari a chi si approccia al romanzo senza sapere niente, restando in linea di pensiero come l'autrice vorrebbe.
Nazafareen si trova a Nocturne, un luogo dove è sempre notte ed il tempo viene scandito da tre lune che si muovono nel cielo. Sa che non è casa sua, perchè intorno a lei ci sono solo Daeva e lei è umana, ma purtroppo non sa molto di più perchè ha completamente perso la memoria. Sa di avere il potere, come loro, di avvertire il Nesso e potersi collegare agli elementi e sa che uno in particolare non deve avvicinarlo più per la sua pericolosità: il fuoco. Un elemento che i Daeva non possono nemmeno toccare o morirebbero.
Lei è una figura temuta per questa dote, chiamata da loro "Il Distruttore"; e i suoi nemici non attendono molto prima di attaccare e provare ad ucciderla. Sarà la molla che spingerà definitivamente la ragazza a lasciare quel luogo in cerca della sua memoria perduta, senza la quale si sente totalmente smarrita. I suoi muscoli ricordano l'agilità della lotta e come combattere con la spada; l'istinto la porta al Nesso e agli elementi; il suo cuore le conferma che Darius vuole solo il suo bene..ma non le basta più.
Nonostante Darius sia sempre stato al suo fianco, non le ha dato niente per non voler cercare le risposte che le mancano ovunque creda di poterle trovare. E ciò la porterà lungo una strada tortuosa, lungo la quale finirà a Delfi, un luogo davvero pericoloso per gente come lei.
La lettura è alternata da molti punti di vista diversi fra loro, che fanno muovere la storia allargando la nostra mappa di quel nuovo mondo, portandoci a conoscere i vari clan dei Daeva, oltre a quello di Darius legato alla terra, scoprendo quello dell'aria, fra le montagne insieme ad un personaggio che abbiamo già conosciuto nella trilogia e che potremo conoscere meglio; e verrà accennato il terzo, quello legato all'acqua.
Ma c'è una minaccia, molto antica e sconosciuta, che si sta avvicinando.
Un popolo che si credeva distrutto secoli prima ma che sembra tornando.
Una lettura inizialmente lenta (per le basi che deve poter mettere; e nel mio caso, per cercare di riunire i puntini fra la trilogia passata e questo nuovo romanzo), ma che in breve da il via all'ennesima avventura nella quale Nazafareen si tuffa a capofitto, testarda come sempre, pensando solo all'obbiettivo e sperando che le diano tempo per tornare, come ha promesso. Cosa assurda, poichè Darius non la lascerebbe mai da sola, e le corre appresso, cercando di raggiungerla in tempo.
Un romanzo che incalza, sempre più veloce ed adrenalinico, aggiungendo sempre più elementi alla storia e facendoci scorrere veloci le pagine per sapere come andrà avanti la storia, lasciandoci con una curiosità davvero molto molto forte nel finale ed il cuore in gola per ciò che capita ai vari protagonisti.
Davvero una lettura bella ed interessante, la Ross ancora una volta ci porta a vivere una storia interessante, originale ed imprevedibile, da cui i lettori non riescono a staccarsi e vogliono di più, per scoprire come continuerà;
Personaggi che già conoscevamo ed altri nuovi, sempre resi in maniera concisa ma esaustiva, che grazie alle loro azioni e pensieri riescono a dare un'idea al lettore con chi ha a che fare, chi è quella persona in modo semplice ma ottimo, senza andare nel superfluo. Luoghi meravigliosi, questa volta inventati dalla creatività dell'autrice, che stiamo solo iniziando a scoprire. Inutile dire che scrive pure molto bene, rendendo questo libro scorrevole da leggere e riuscendo ad incollare alle pagine il lettore.
Che altro dire, si conferma bravissima in ciò che sta facendo!
Per nostra fortuna questi quattro romanzi della saga sono già stati pubblicati in lingua originale, quindi dobbiamo solo pazientare per la traduzione. Incrocio le dita che avvenga presto (devo sapere come va avanti la storia).
Consigliato? Assolutamente!
Anche sul blog https://viaggiatricepigra.blogspot.com/
July 27, 2017
CAN'T WAIT!!
February 13, 2018
A young girl Nazafareen has lost her memories and only knows what her friend Darius has told her. Nazafareen likes Darius a lot and wants to be with him forever but when someone comes to Nocturne to kill her and Darius is attacked and left in a coma. The men that attack them tell Nazafareen that they either kill her or they all die. In order to safe Darius and the people of Nocturne Nazafareen decides that it is time to leave.
Nazafareen hides away on a wind ship that can take her far away. When a storm hits the wind ship crashes and leaves Nazafareen and Javid, the captain of the wind ship stranded in the middle of nowhere. After traveling for days they end up in a very bad place, the city of Delphi.
Nazafareen and Javid have to step lightly in Delphi as magic is forbidden there and punishable by law there. Although Nazafareen has no magic as far as she can remember she does have this wicked temper that has been known to get her in trouble on occasion. They have to find the means and the money to escape Delphi before they end up in trouble. Can Nazafareen stay out of trouble long enough to get them where they are going?
It has been epic following Nazafareen and Javid on their journey trying to reach their destination. Nazafareen and Javid squabble like brother and sister I enjoyed their little arguments if you want to call them that. When reading Nocturne and I had to put it down I couldn't wait to get back to it so I could to see what happened and how it all ended.
I would recommend Nocturne to anyone who likes mythology, magic and a fantasy.
Nazafareen hides away on a wind ship that can take her far away. When a storm hits the wind ship crashes and leaves Nazafareen and Javid, the captain of the wind ship stranded in the middle of nowhere. After traveling for days they end up in a very bad place, the city of Delphi.
Nazafareen and Javid have to step lightly in Delphi as magic is forbidden there and punishable by law there. Although Nazafareen has no magic as far as she can remember she does have this wicked temper that has been known to get her in trouble on occasion. They have to find the means and the money to escape Delphi before they end up in trouble. Can Nazafareen stay out of trouble long enough to get them where they are going?
It has been epic following Nazafareen and Javid on their journey trying to reach their destination. Nazafareen and Javid squabble like brother and sister I enjoyed their little arguments if you want to call them that. When reading Nocturne and I had to put it down I couldn't wait to get back to it so I could to see what happened and how it all ended.
I would recommend Nocturne to anyone who likes mythology, magic and a fantasy.
November 16, 2020
Great characters and world building, but no ending
I really liked all the complicated people and wanted to know if they would achieve their various goals.sadly, the book just sort of ran out and left me hanging.
Even if this is part of a series, I expect each book to be a stand alone story or it disappoints
I really liked all the complicated people and wanted to know if they would achieve their various goals.sadly, the book just sort of ran out and left me hanging.
Even if this is part of a series, I expect each book to be a stand alone story or it disappoints
August 6, 2023
I've started this because I liked the 4th Element but this is so boring and predictable with characters that just overgrew themselves and didn't evolve. I'm not sure if I'll give the next one a chance...
February 4, 2022
Sooo glad to be back in this world!!! And now I love Culach, which is inane. On to Book 2...
February 13, 2018
Nocturne by Kat Ross is a new series following characters from the Fourth Element Trilogy. Here we have a whole new world to play in. Nazarafeen, still reeling from battle with Neblis, has come to Nocturne, land of eternal night, and home of the powerful daeva clans. She is a guest of House Dessarian, of the Danai.
Missing a hand, and struggling with amnesia, Nazafareen is desperate to recover her memories and learn who she was. Her Danai companion, Darius, knows more than he's willing to tell. After an assassination attempt, Nazafareen flees the Danai lands, heading to Solis. Stowing away on a wind ship heading into the Umbra, she hopes to elude her Valkirin hunters, and make her way to the Marakai in hopes the water daeva can heal her. Little does Nazafareen know an implacable foe now dogs her steps, relentless and without mercy.
Desperate to help his one-time bond partner, Darius sets off in pursuit of Nazafareen, against his family's wishes. And Darius, too, must wrangle with the same fell creatures that hunt his partner. Meanwhile, Culach of the Valkirin, scarred and blind after battle, is slowly learning to live blinded in more ways than one. He dreams of fire, deadly to the daevas, and of a red-haired daeva clan who wielded fire and ripped the world asunder. As the days pass, Culach’s dreams become more and more intense. Are his dreams a link to the past or a portent of what is to come? Or perhaps a warning that the Valkirin are in danger of becoming extinct and forgotten, like the prideful flame daevas?
(Quote)
Nocturne is an action-packed thrill! I devoured this book, and am eager to read Solis. I fell into this world of night and day. I'm interested to read the preceding series. The author herself notes that it is recommended, but not necessary to have read the previous trilogy. There is enough subtle background information regarding her 'accident’, and the event of the previous series that it's easy to understand.
The description is just brilliant. This is a world divided into a half that is perpetually day, and one perpetually night. As to be expected, much of each respective half is either too cold or too hot to live in. Cities and settlements on either side are clustered along the borders of the Umbra, a twilight region dividing the world halves, a type of equatorial region, if you will. This seems to be a planet whose rotation has stopped. The mortal half, sunlit Solis, is patterned after ancient Persia and Greece. Javid, the wind ship captain, is Persian, from Samarqand. We don't actually visit there this book. The pair accidentally end up in Delphi, a place less than friendly towards Javid’s people, and the daeva alike.
(Oops gif)
I loved Nazafareen and Darius! We only get to see them together in this book briefly, though we do follow each separately. The story thread with Culach and Mina was equally interesting. Culach is my favourite character. I usually have an immediate liking for characters who are blind, or have some other eye issue. In his case, he’s true-blind. I'm impressed by how quickly he seems to relearn how to navigate around, once he's roused out of his broodiness.
The daevas’ natural magic was neat, with each clan having a dominant element. It's interesting that there was a physical consequence to the Danai using earth magic, and I wonder if the other clans have similar consequences. There wasn't really a time when we got the perspective of a Valkirin doing lots of magic, and we met no Marakai in this story. Daeva magic isn't the only magic either. Humans can use what they call spell magic, assisted by spell dust and the recitation of spells. Magic isn't an inherent part of their being like with the daevas. Then there's Nazafareen's breaking magic, an incredibly rare power that can nullify other magic. It’s natural, to her, and like the daevas’ magic, comes with physical consequences.
If you enjoy fantasy stories, with neat magic concepts, or stories influenced by exotic ancient cultures, be sure to check out Nocturne!
***Many thanks to XPresso Blog Tours and the author for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Missing a hand, and struggling with amnesia, Nazafareen is desperate to recover her memories and learn who she was. Her Danai companion, Darius, knows more than he's willing to tell. After an assassination attempt, Nazafareen flees the Danai lands, heading to Solis. Stowing away on a wind ship heading into the Umbra, she hopes to elude her Valkirin hunters, and make her way to the Marakai in hopes the water daeva can heal her. Little does Nazafareen know an implacable foe now dogs her steps, relentless and without mercy.
Desperate to help his one-time bond partner, Darius sets off in pursuit of Nazafareen, against his family's wishes. And Darius, too, must wrangle with the same fell creatures that hunt his partner. Meanwhile, Culach of the Valkirin, scarred and blind after battle, is slowly learning to live blinded in more ways than one. He dreams of fire, deadly to the daevas, and of a red-haired daeva clan who wielded fire and ripped the world asunder. As the days pass, Culach’s dreams become more and more intense. Are his dreams a link to the past or a portent of what is to come? Or perhaps a warning that the Valkirin are in danger of becoming extinct and forgotten, like the prideful flame daevas?
(Quote)
Nocturne is an action-packed thrill! I devoured this book, and am eager to read Solis. I fell into this world of night and day. I'm interested to read the preceding series. The author herself notes that it is recommended, but not necessary to have read the previous trilogy. There is enough subtle background information regarding her 'accident’, and the event of the previous series that it's easy to understand.
The description is just brilliant. This is a world divided into a half that is perpetually day, and one perpetually night. As to be expected, much of each respective half is either too cold or too hot to live in. Cities and settlements on either side are clustered along the borders of the Umbra, a twilight region dividing the world halves, a type of equatorial region, if you will. This seems to be a planet whose rotation has stopped. The mortal half, sunlit Solis, is patterned after ancient Persia and Greece. Javid, the wind ship captain, is Persian, from Samarqand. We don't actually visit there this book. The pair accidentally end up in Delphi, a place less than friendly towards Javid’s people, and the daeva alike.
(Oops gif)
I loved Nazafareen and Darius! We only get to see them together in this book briefly, though we do follow each separately. The story thread with Culach and Mina was equally interesting. Culach is my favourite character. I usually have an immediate liking for characters who are blind, or have some other eye issue. In his case, he’s true-blind. I'm impressed by how quickly he seems to relearn how to navigate around, once he's roused out of his broodiness.
The daevas’ natural magic was neat, with each clan having a dominant element. It's interesting that there was a physical consequence to the Danai using earth magic, and I wonder if the other clans have similar consequences. There wasn't really a time when we got the perspective of a Valkirin doing lots of magic, and we met no Marakai in this story. Daeva magic isn't the only magic either. Humans can use what they call spell magic, assisted by spell dust and the recitation of spells. Magic isn't an inherent part of their being like with the daevas. Then there's Nazafareen's breaking magic, an incredibly rare power that can nullify other magic. It’s natural, to her, and like the daevas’ magic, comes with physical consequences.
If you enjoy fantasy stories, with neat magic concepts, or stories influenced by exotic ancient cultures, be sure to check out Nocturne!
***Many thanks to XPresso Blog Tours and the author for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
February 25, 2019
This is the first book in the continuing series of the Fourth Element. I absolutely loved the Fourth Element series, so naturally I had high expectations for this book. And, as we all know, with high expectations you are either:
1. Completely happy and satisfied, or
2. Totally disappointed
....... I am happy to say that number 1 applies to me!
This book was incredible. It was so well thought out, and really, just a pleasure to read. Ms. Ross managed to write something that once again completely enthralled me, and I was just so taken into this world.
THE STORY LINE
One thing that really impressed me (the whole book really impressed me) was how, even though this is based in an entirely new dimension, I didn't find myself lost. I really appreciate the way the author explains everything about the world, and not in one of those lecturey sort of ways that you feel are kind of just forced in there to clear things up. Instead, she manages to incorporate it into the story so it reveals itself as the book progresses. And I love how she wrote about from the previous books, it had that sort of ah moment. In fact, throughout the whole book there were a multitude of ah moments.
As in the previous books, Ross writes this book in multiple different perspectives. Normally I would find this sort of iffy, but here it works quite well. The different perspectives just add some depth into the novel, and while I'm sure that the book would be interesting enough without it, it probably wouldn't be the same.
THE CHARACTERS
Ahhh, the characters. The characters really just made the book. They were all so complex, each with their own battles and inner conflicts. We see through the eyes of Culach (who turned out to be so interesting), Darius, and our beloved Nazafreen, among a few others. I won't delve into too much detail, but each character was so real, and they all had a clear purpose in the book.
We have Culach, Through his eyes, we get a view on what is going on with the Valkirins, and are introduced to new characters.
Then we have Darius. Oh Darius, how I feel for him. He is torn between telling Nazafreen about her life before she lost her memories, and his own personal feelings which are reluctant to do so. Eventually, when everything falls apart, he is on hunt (and is ironically being hunted at the same time) for Nazafreen.
And then we have Nazafreen. Our beloved blockhead, who thinks with her heart instead of her head. Again, we see how driven she is by her emotions, and are exposed to all her thoughts. She is such a fun character, who somehow always manages to keep trouble at her tail. What makes her character special is the mere depth of it. She is so complex and deep, and throughout the books Ross keeps building her up. And right now, we are left with a strong, yet weak woman, who just can't manage to find her place in this world.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This book was really captivating, with the combination of the characters and plot lines weaving together into this incredible story. The cliffhanger in the end just left me so desperate for the next book! Every time I pick up one of Ross' books, I can't put it down. I can't wait to read the next book, Solis, and I am positive that it will be just as magical as this one!
1. Completely happy and satisfied, or
2. Totally disappointed
....... I am happy to say that number 1 applies to me!
This book was incredible. It was so well thought out, and really, just a pleasure to read. Ms. Ross managed to write something that once again completely enthralled me, and I was just so taken into this world.
THE STORY LINE
One thing that really impressed me (
As in the previous books, Ross writes this book in multiple different perspectives. Normally I would find this sort of iffy, but here it works quite well. The different perspectives just add some depth into the novel, and while I'm sure that the book would be interesting enough without it, it probably wouldn't be the same.
THE CHARACTERS
Ahhh, the characters. The characters really just made the book. They were all so complex, each with their own battles and inner conflicts. We see through the eyes of Culach (who turned out to be so interesting), Darius, and our beloved Nazafreen, among a few others. I won't delve into too much detail, but each character was so real, and they all had a clear purpose in the book.
We have Culach, Through his eyes, we get a view on what is going on with the Valkirins, and are introduced to new characters.
Then we have Darius. Oh Darius, how I feel for him. He is torn between telling Nazafreen about her life before she lost her memories, and his own personal feelings which are reluctant to do so. Eventually, when everything falls apart, he is on hunt (and is ironically being hunted at the same time) for Nazafreen.
And then we have Nazafreen. Our beloved blockhead, who thinks with her heart instead of her head. Again, we see how driven she is by her emotions, and are exposed to all her thoughts. She is such a fun character, who somehow always manages to keep trouble at her tail. What makes her character special is the mere depth of it. She is so complex and deep, and throughout the books Ross keeps building her up. And right now, we are left with a strong, yet weak woman, who just can't manage to find her place in this world.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This book was really captivating, with the combination of the characters and plot lines weaving together into this incredible story. The cliffhanger in the end just left me so desperate for the next book! Every time I pick up one of Ross' books, I can't put it down. I can't wait to read the next book, Solis, and I am positive that it will be just as magical as this one!
February 6, 2018
Cela a été un véritable plaisir que de retrouver Nazafareen et Darius, bien que je sois frustrée que Tijah, Achaemenes et Balthazar ne soient pas de la partie, mais que cela ne tienne ! Kat Ross a su me surprendre une fois de plus en enrichissant de manière considérable son univers et nous proposant des nouvelles mythologies, personnages et décors ! Il n’est donc pas étonnant que j’ai eu une fois de plus un coup de cœur pour son histoire de fantasy qui bien qu’elle soit ancrée dans notre passé et nos légendes garde tout de même son originalité !
Nazafareen se retrouve donc avec une seconde chance après avoir perdu la mémoire lors de la bataille fille dans le Dominion. Darius est toujours à ses côtés, plus amoureux et protecteur que jamais, mais lui cachant bien des choses. Ils vont s’éloigner peu à peu, surtout que le caractère de feu de la jeune femme va vite repointer le bout de son nez. Darius est toujours aussi responsable et sûr de lui, bien que les secrets qu’il garde lui pèse. Il comprend enfin ce qu’a vécu son père des années plus tôt, les sacrifices qu’il a dû faire par amour. Nazafareen est totalement paumée, mais son caractère bien trempé n’a pas changé. Elle est toujours aussi curieuse, débrouillarde et tête brûlée.
Bien que ce couple nous passionne toujours autant, la véritable surprise vient des autres personnages qui ont la parole. Tout d’abord Culach, le grand méchant de la première trilogie, le jumeaux de Neblis. Après ses graves blessures infligées par Nazafareen, il va changer et c’est surtout ses cauchemars et son contact avec Mina (une otage politique) qui le rendre bon et étonnamment plein de sagesse. Galen est un nouveau personnages (et le fils de Mina et Victor), demi-frère de Darius et tout en nuance, je ne sais pas si on doit le détester ou avoir une réserve selon ce qu’il fera à l’avenir… Puis il y a Thena, une prêtresse d’Apollon et qui va nous apprendre bien des choses sur la face cachée de Delphes.
Car oui, même si les choses se déroulent principalement à Nocturne, terre natale des daevas, et qu’on découvre bien des choses sur ces créatures puissantes et fantastiques, Nazafareen revient parmi les humains et plus précisément à Solis. Cette terre de soleil se place entre la Grèce et la Perse, ce qui apporte tout un lot de nouvelles divinités (que l’on connait bien) et des personnages haut en couleurs. Entre complots, secrets et guerres, on retrouve les jeux de pouvoirs très intéressants du début de la saga. En plus, il y a de grosses révélations sur les daevas qui sont aussi bien liés aux origines de Nazafareen et son pouvoir de Breaker, mais aussi sur les raisons de l’Oracle et sa haine pour les « magiciens ».
J’ai l’impression que Kat Ross est revenue à ses premiers amours avec un judicieux mélange de fantasy et d’historique. On a des inspirations de l’Antiquité qui nous mettent bien dans l’ambiance avec en bonus un univers bien propre à la série qui ne cesse d’évoluer. Il y a du rythme, le changement de narrateur y étant pour beaucoup et nous permettant d’engranger davantage de connaissances. Entre aventure et amour, on a le cœur qui bat à 100 à l’heure et on prie pour que Nazafareen et Darius puisse enfin avoir une vie calme dans les pâturages comme ils le souhaitaient tant. J’ai vraiment hâte de lire la suite surtout avec tout ce qu’on apprends dans les dernières pages du livre qui nous font poser tout un tas de questions !!
Nazafareen se retrouve donc avec une seconde chance après avoir perdu la mémoire lors de la bataille fille dans le Dominion. Darius est toujours à ses côtés, plus amoureux et protecteur que jamais, mais lui cachant bien des choses. Ils vont s’éloigner peu à peu, surtout que le caractère de feu de la jeune femme va vite repointer le bout de son nez. Darius est toujours aussi responsable et sûr de lui, bien que les secrets qu’il garde lui pèse. Il comprend enfin ce qu’a vécu son père des années plus tôt, les sacrifices qu’il a dû faire par amour. Nazafareen est totalement paumée, mais son caractère bien trempé n’a pas changé. Elle est toujours aussi curieuse, débrouillarde et tête brûlée.
Bien que ce couple nous passionne toujours autant, la véritable surprise vient des autres personnages qui ont la parole. Tout d’abord Culach, le grand méchant de la première trilogie, le jumeaux de Neblis. Après ses graves blessures infligées par Nazafareen, il va changer et c’est surtout ses cauchemars et son contact avec Mina (une otage politique) qui le rendre bon et étonnamment plein de sagesse. Galen est un nouveau personnages (et le fils de Mina et Victor), demi-frère de Darius et tout en nuance, je ne sais pas si on doit le détester ou avoir une réserve selon ce qu’il fera à l’avenir… Puis il y a Thena, une prêtresse d’Apollon et qui va nous apprendre bien des choses sur la face cachée de Delphes.
Car oui, même si les choses se déroulent principalement à Nocturne, terre natale des daevas, et qu’on découvre bien des choses sur ces créatures puissantes et fantastiques, Nazafareen revient parmi les humains et plus précisément à Solis. Cette terre de soleil se place entre la Grèce et la Perse, ce qui apporte tout un lot de nouvelles divinités (que l’on connait bien) et des personnages haut en couleurs. Entre complots, secrets et guerres, on retrouve les jeux de pouvoirs très intéressants du début de la saga. En plus, il y a de grosses révélations sur les daevas qui sont aussi bien liés aux origines de Nazafareen et son pouvoir de Breaker, mais aussi sur les raisons de l’Oracle et sa haine pour les « magiciens ».
J’ai l’impression que Kat Ross est revenue à ses premiers amours avec un judicieux mélange de fantasy et d’historique. On a des inspirations de l’Antiquité qui nous mettent bien dans l’ambiance avec en bonus un univers bien propre à la série qui ne cesse d’évoluer. Il y a du rythme, le changement de narrateur y étant pour beaucoup et nous permettant d’engranger davantage de connaissances. Entre aventure et amour, on a le cœur qui bat à 100 à l’heure et on prie pour que Nazafareen et Darius puisse enfin avoir une vie calme dans les pâturages comme ils le souhaitaient tant. J’ai vraiment hâte de lire la suite surtout avec tout ce qu’on apprends dans les dernières pages du livre qui nous font poser tout un tas de questions !!
January 21, 2020
- “Ti odio.”
- “Fino a quando non mi compatisci...va bene.”
- “Non ti ho mai compatito. Sei uno stronzo.”
♠ Kat Ross è il mio faro nella notte, la mia Polaris, la mia stella cometa. Le mie quattro e cinque stelle facili facili. È la mia coperta di Linus. Quando comincio un suo libro è allo stesso tempo una passeggiata in un prato e un passo nell'ignoto. Sai cosa puoi aspettarti e non ti delude ma può anche sconvolgerti e sorprenderti. Io però resto comunque una persona brutta e superficiale quindi solo 4 stelle perché mi è mancata Tijah (luce dei miei occhi) e perché questo è stato, ovviamente, un libro introduttivo, pregno di avvenimenti come ci ha abituati ma comunque ha dovuto gettare le basi e sopratutto nella prima metà risulta un po' lento e non ha aiutato il fatto che ci siano 6 pov diversi (quello di Gerda è solo un capitolo finale che ti getta l'amo per il secondo libro, in realtà) e sebbene comprendi che siano tutti necessari, anche quelli di Galen e di Thena, vedere come Darius sia stato relegato a soli 4 capitoli per poi venire catturato quando è letteralmente ad un passo da Nazafareen la prima cosa che pensi è potevi togliere Galen e mettermi Darius, no? Che poi pure Galen, solo la Ross riesce a farti passare un personaggio, nello stesso capitolo, da piccolo angelo bistrattato a infame traditore, maledetto!!! (cit.) e allo stesso tempo prendere il villain della prima serie, ridurlo a brandelli e gettare le basi per una redenzione al punto che cominci a tifare per lui, resta sempre arrogante e stronzo eh, però awww.
♠ Continua a piacermi immensamente come l'autrice mescoli alla perfezione elementi magici e storia reale al punto che sembra veramente la nostra realtà, complice il fatto che ho da poco finito di giocare ad Assassin Creed Odyssey mi sembrava di essere tornata in un luogo familiare.
Nazafareen resta una delle mie due protagoniste femminili preferite di sempre ed è bello vedere come anche senza i suoi ricordi sia rimasta la stessa persona. Un po' meno bella è stata la mia difficoltà nel ricordare avvenimenti, nomi, persone della saga precedente, ricordavo cosa fosse il Dominio ma l'Umbra mi ha confuso. Solis e Nocturne sono sullo stesso piano astrale ed entrambe sono unite/separate dal Dominio che è praticamente l'Ade (per rimanere in tema storico). Questo piano astrale si chiama Umbra ed è unito al mondo mortale tramite portali sparsi per vari luoghi e città come Delfi e Samaranda? Mi pare funzioni così. Spero che questi portali vengano approfonditi perché sono estremamente curiosa di sapere se l'Umbra è grande quanto il mondo umano e gli faccia tipo da velo, sarebbe bello sapere se c'è un portale per il Giappone o uno in Brasile (sospetto che non lo sapremo mai).
♠ Infine, un appunto sulla traduzione italiana, non sono una traduttrice ne una revisionatrice (sono solo una fansubber) lungi da me criticare il lavoro altrui però ritengo che se decidi di tradurre in italiano non puoi poi lasciare parole in inglese. O traduci tutto o niente. Traduci Samarcanda e Delfi, la Pizia, il Polemarco però lasci in inglese il White Sea e la Great Sands Plain? Perché? Non sarebbe un problema se non per il fatto che mentre leggi ti danno il colpo di frusta perché stonano. Il lavoro è apprezzato, sia chiaro, però continuerò in inglese.
Io a Thena:
- “Fino a quando non mi compatisci...va bene.”
- “Non ti ho mai compatito. Sei uno stronzo.”
♠ Kat Ross è il mio faro nella notte, la mia Polaris, la mia stella cometa. Le mie quattro e cinque stelle facili facili. È la mia coperta di Linus. Quando comincio un suo libro è allo stesso tempo una passeggiata in un prato e un passo nell'ignoto. Sai cosa puoi aspettarti e non ti delude ma può anche sconvolgerti e sorprenderti. Io però resto comunque una persona brutta e superficiale quindi solo 4 stelle perché mi è mancata Tijah (luce dei miei occhi) e perché questo è stato, ovviamente, un libro introduttivo, pregno di avvenimenti come ci ha abituati ma comunque ha dovuto gettare le basi e sopratutto nella prima metà risulta un po' lento e non ha aiutato il fatto che ci siano 6 pov diversi (quello di Gerda è solo un capitolo finale che ti getta l'amo per il secondo libro, in realtà) e sebbene comprendi che siano tutti necessari, anche quelli di Galen e di Thena, vedere come Darius sia stato relegato a soli 4 capitoli per poi venire catturato quando è letteralmente ad un passo da Nazafareen la prima cosa che pensi è potevi togliere Galen e mettermi Darius, no? Che poi pure Galen, solo la Ross riesce a farti passare un personaggio, nello stesso capitolo, da piccolo angelo bistrattato a infame traditore, maledetto!!! (cit.) e allo stesso tempo prendere il villain della prima serie, ridurlo a brandelli e gettare le basi per una redenzione al punto che cominci a tifare per lui, resta sempre arrogante e stronzo eh, però awww.
♠ Continua a piacermi immensamente come l'autrice mescoli alla perfezione elementi magici e storia reale al punto che sembra veramente la nostra realtà, complice il fatto che ho da poco finito di giocare ad Assassin Creed Odyssey mi sembrava di essere tornata in un luogo familiare.
Nazafareen resta una delle mie due protagoniste femminili preferite di sempre ed è bello vedere come anche senza i suoi ricordi sia rimasta la stessa persona. Un po' meno bella è stata la mia difficoltà nel ricordare avvenimenti, nomi, persone della saga precedente, ricordavo cosa fosse il Dominio ma l'Umbra mi ha confuso. Solis e Nocturne sono sullo stesso piano astrale ed entrambe sono unite/separate dal Dominio che è praticamente l'Ade (per rimanere in tema storico). Questo piano astrale si chiama Umbra ed è unito al mondo mortale tramite portali sparsi per vari luoghi e città come Delfi e Samaranda? Mi pare funzioni così. Spero che questi portali vengano approfonditi perché sono estremamente curiosa di sapere se l'Umbra è grande quanto il mondo umano e gli faccia tipo da velo, sarebbe bello sapere se c'è un portale per il Giappone o uno in Brasile (sospetto che non lo sapremo mai).
♠ Infine, un appunto sulla traduzione italiana, non sono una traduttrice ne una revisionatrice (sono solo una fansubber) lungi da me criticare il lavoro altrui però ritengo che se decidi di tradurre in italiano non puoi poi lasciare parole in inglese. O traduci tutto o niente. Traduci Samarcanda e Delfi, la Pizia, il Polemarco però lasci in inglese il White Sea e la Great Sands Plain? Perché? Non sarebbe un problema se non per il fatto che mentre leggi ti danno il colpo di frusta perché stonano. Il lavoro è apprezzato, sia chiaro, però continuerò in inglese.
Io a Thena:
February 25, 2018
Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and author Kat Ross for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review!
Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!
Nocturne is the first novel in Kat Ross’s new Fourth Talisman series and is a passionate and riveting action packed fantasy that will draw readers into a world of danger, deception and powerful forces.
Nazafareen is a Breaker, a mortal with the rare ability to break spell magic, though the power comes at a high price. Living amongst a clan of daeva’s with no memory of her former self or the life she led, Nazafareen’s only choice is to journey to the city of Samarqand in the hopes that someone may have the ability to restore her memories. Yet her journey comes with a cost; leaving Darius, the only person Nazafareen trusts and knows cares about her, but to rediscover who she is Nazafareen feels she has no choice. Dangers lurk in the desert and with war looming between difference factions, Nazafareen is about to discover there are bigger threats at play than she could ever have anticipated.
I have to admit when I first heard there would be a second series once again following Nazafareen and Darius I was a bit perplexed. Not because I didn’t love the characters—I do, very, very much so—but because I felt their story had been told in the Fourth Element series perfectly. Surely there wasn’t anything new Ross could bring to this world revolving them, right? Eh….. WRONG!
Nocturne was an absolutely thrilling addition to this tantalizing world. Offering readers a deeper look into the world on the other side of the Dominion, Nocturne explores new clans of daeva’s and different societies in this first novel of a new series. There are new branches and divisions of this diverse world introduced with new faces and voices brought into the story.
Personally, I don’t think you need to have read the first trilogy to follow along, although having done so will allow you a better understanding and appreciation of the characters and what they have previously been through. I loved seeing a new side of the daeva’s that didn’t involve their enslavement and instead saw them masters of their own societies. I’m looking forward to exploring this world of magic more in the rest of the series.
Unfolding in the third person, Nocturne one again follows Nazafareen more than anyone else, but also follows Darius and many other characters. I was shocked to discover myself absolutely coming to adore Culach as well as his relationship with Mina. Honestly he’s now quite possibly my fave character and considering he was considered a villain in the past trilogy, this is saying something about Kat Ross’s writing ability.
Fast paced, exciting and with so much going on, Nocturne was a superb read and leaves me dying to delve into the next novel Solis as soon as I can!
Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!
Nocturne is the first novel in Kat Ross’s new Fourth Talisman series and is a passionate and riveting action packed fantasy that will draw readers into a world of danger, deception and powerful forces.
Nazafareen is a Breaker, a mortal with the rare ability to break spell magic, though the power comes at a high price. Living amongst a clan of daeva’s with no memory of her former self or the life she led, Nazafareen’s only choice is to journey to the city of Samarqand in the hopes that someone may have the ability to restore her memories. Yet her journey comes with a cost; leaving Darius, the only person Nazafareen trusts and knows cares about her, but to rediscover who she is Nazafareen feels she has no choice. Dangers lurk in the desert and with war looming between difference factions, Nazafareen is about to discover there are bigger threats at play than she could ever have anticipated.
I have to admit when I first heard there would be a second series once again following Nazafareen and Darius I was a bit perplexed. Not because I didn’t love the characters—I do, very, very much so—but because I felt their story had been told in the Fourth Element series perfectly. Surely there wasn’t anything new Ross could bring to this world revolving them, right? Eh….. WRONG!
Nocturne was an absolutely thrilling addition to this tantalizing world. Offering readers a deeper look into the world on the other side of the Dominion, Nocturne explores new clans of daeva’s and different societies in this first novel of a new series. There are new branches and divisions of this diverse world introduced with new faces and voices brought into the story.
Personally, I don’t think you need to have read the first trilogy to follow along, although having done so will allow you a better understanding and appreciation of the characters and what they have previously been through. I loved seeing a new side of the daeva’s that didn’t involve their enslavement and instead saw them masters of their own societies. I’m looking forward to exploring this world of magic more in the rest of the series.
Unfolding in the third person, Nocturne one again follows Nazafareen more than anyone else, but also follows Darius and many other characters. I was shocked to discover myself absolutely coming to adore Culach as well as his relationship with Mina. Honestly he’s now quite possibly my fave character and considering he was considered a villain in the past trilogy, this is saying something about Kat Ross’s writing ability.
Fast paced, exciting and with so much going on, Nocturne was a superb read and leaves me dying to delve into the next novel Solis as soon as I can!
October 10, 2018
****I need to start this review by saying this is the start of a new series, The Fourth Talisman series but it immediately follows The Fourth Element Trilogy. I never read the first trilogy and while this new series technically can work on it’s own, I think I would have enjoyed it much more had I read the first three books.
Kat Ross is an amazing author. This is the first book I read of hers but I cannot wait for the next book and to read more. I was immediately gripped from the beginning despite being a little confused what was going on. Again, I don’t think that would have been an issue had I read the first trilogy. That being said I will admit I was a little upset about how the chapters were written. Each chapter would start very slow and eventually would pick up pace and just when the story was getting really good, a new chapter and POV would start and I would be back to square one. It left a lot of down time and wishing for more.
I want to start by saying the “world” in this book is incredible! I thought the idea of two separate sides of the world was incredibly unique and interesting. One was in sun every second of the day and the other side was in the dark with 3 moons being the only light. And the people from each side were completely different so they stayed in their respective sides to keep peace. When the book starts we learn Nazafareen has no memory from before she entered Nocturne. Her friend (which I think is her lover – again should have read the trilogy) Darius knows everything that happened but wants her to be safe so he’s been keeping everything secret. When an assassin shows up to kill Nazafareen she decides to leave to protect everyone around her. She’s also hoping she can find someone who will be able to restore her memories. This story takes us on Nazafareen’s journey to find out the truth while running to save her life. However, had she known the truth she would have realized she was never really safe so now Darius has to find her before she is killed.
Based on this book and other reviews I understand Nazafareen and Darius are/were lovers in the first trilogy. However, they spend so much time apart in this book that there wasn’t really a romance aspect. I think this book is definitely a set up for future books in the series and I believe there will be romance as the series progresses. But for now it could go anywhere.
When I got to the end of this book I was a little disappointed because it kind of just ended. I know, I know, it’s the end of a book and it’s supposed to “just end” but there wasn’t really a cliffhanger and nothing really was wrapped up. I won’t spoil anything but the end of the book did have me yelling at Nazafareen because I think she should have realized what was happening around her. I’m looking forward to reading the next book to find out what happens.
Kat Ross is an amazing author. This is the first book I read of hers but I cannot wait for the next book and to read more. I was immediately gripped from the beginning despite being a little confused what was going on. Again, I don’t think that would have been an issue had I read the first trilogy. That being said I will admit I was a little upset about how the chapters were written. Each chapter would start very slow and eventually would pick up pace and just when the story was getting really good, a new chapter and POV would start and I would be back to square one. It left a lot of down time and wishing for more.
I want to start by saying the “world” in this book is incredible! I thought the idea of two separate sides of the world was incredibly unique and interesting. One was in sun every second of the day and the other side was in the dark with 3 moons being the only light. And the people from each side were completely different so they stayed in their respective sides to keep peace. When the book starts we learn Nazafareen has no memory from before she entered Nocturne. Her friend (which I think is her lover – again should have read the trilogy) Darius knows everything that happened but wants her to be safe so he’s been keeping everything secret. When an assassin shows up to kill Nazafareen she decides to leave to protect everyone around her. She’s also hoping she can find someone who will be able to restore her memories. This story takes us on Nazafareen’s journey to find out the truth while running to save her life. However, had she known the truth she would have realized she was never really safe so now Darius has to find her before she is killed.
Based on this book and other reviews I understand Nazafareen and Darius are/were lovers in the first trilogy. However, they spend so much time apart in this book that there wasn’t really a romance aspect. I think this book is definitely a set up for future books in the series and I believe there will be romance as the series progresses. But for now it could go anywhere.
When I got to the end of this book I was a little disappointed because it kind of just ended. I know, I know, it’s the end of a book and it’s supposed to “just end” but there wasn’t really a cliffhanger and nothing really was wrapped up. I won’t spoil anything but the end of the book did have me yelling at Nazafareen because I think she should have realized what was happening around her. I’m looking forward to reading the next book to find out what happens.
August 8, 2018
A few months ago I got "The Midnight Sea," the first book in this omni-series or mega-series or uber-series or whatever you want to call it, through a giveaway. It was definitely the stand-out of all the books I got through that particularly giveaway, and so I've been dipping in and out of the series since then.
"Nocturne" features Nazafareen, the same heroine as "The Midnight Sea," but a few years and a few adventures later. It's the first book in the Fourth Talisman mini-series against the backdrop of the whole maxi-series (what DO we call these things? I want to know for myself since I have the same structure for my own fantasy series, but it's a pretty common thing to do, so there should be a name for it. Anyway), and can be read as such, although it will probably make more sense if you've read some of the other books first. Having only read "The Midnight Sea" before getting into "Nocturne," I knew who many of the main characters were, but was missing in on some of the big events that had happened in between. Still, I was able to follow along pretty well, so if you're thinking of jumping into the series halfway, this is as a good a place as any.
As in "The Midnight Sea," the action is fast and furious, but still at a more reasonable pace than many contemporary fantasy books, which seem to be just one sword fight after another,. "Nocturne" moves briskly and fits in plenty of adventure, but there's also time for world-building and character development. If you enjoy epic fantasy but find The Lord of the Rings a little too esoteric and intellectual and A Song of Ice and Fire a little too sprawling, these books will probably be just about right for you. They're similar to Terry Brooks's Shannara books, although a bit faster, in their pacing, if that helps give you an idea.
My favorite thing about this series is the world-building, which is based on ancient Persia and Greece, but with real magic. It's familiar enough to Western readers to be comprehensible, but still refreshingly different from your standard Western European epic fantasy setting, with most of the sympathetic characters as some version of Persian. If you're looking for a new epic fantasy series to start, especially one with a strong, sympathetic female lead and a significant non-Western presence, then this series is definitely worth checking out.
"Nocturne" features Nazafareen, the same heroine as "The Midnight Sea," but a few years and a few adventures later. It's the first book in the Fourth Talisman mini-series against the backdrop of the whole maxi-series (what DO we call these things? I want to know for myself since I have the same structure for my own fantasy series, but it's a pretty common thing to do, so there should be a name for it. Anyway), and can be read as such, although it will probably make more sense if you've read some of the other books first. Having only read "The Midnight Sea" before getting into "Nocturne," I knew who many of the main characters were, but was missing in on some of the big events that had happened in between. Still, I was able to follow along pretty well, so if you're thinking of jumping into the series halfway, this is as a good a place as any.
As in "The Midnight Sea," the action is fast and furious, but still at a more reasonable pace than many contemporary fantasy books, which seem to be just one sword fight after another,. "Nocturne" moves briskly and fits in plenty of adventure, but there's also time for world-building and character development. If you enjoy epic fantasy but find The Lord of the Rings a little too esoteric and intellectual and A Song of Ice and Fire a little too sprawling, these books will probably be just about right for you. They're similar to Terry Brooks's Shannara books, although a bit faster, in their pacing, if that helps give you an idea.
My favorite thing about this series is the world-building, which is based on ancient Persia and Greece, but with real magic. It's familiar enough to Western readers to be comprehensible, but still refreshingly different from your standard Western European epic fantasy setting, with most of the sympathetic characters as some version of Persian. If you're looking for a new epic fantasy series to start, especially one with a strong, sympathetic female lead and a significant non-Western presence, then this series is definitely worth checking out.
February 4, 2018
-ARC kindly offered by Xpresso and author in exchange for an honest review-
Although I was orphaned for a short time, Nazafareen and Darius missed me so much. What creates Kat causes an addiction that makes difficult the separation from the pages. Change scenery, change the company but action, adventure, intrigue and love remain constant in history.
Nazafareen is without memories. She arrives in Nocturne half dead after the decisive battle that we read on Queen of Chaos but, thanks to Darius and Victor, she manages to heal her body. However, her memory is gone, she has no memory of her childhood, her life as a Water Dog, nothing at all. Darius doesn' t tell her everything to protect her from pain but she wants to know.
We know Nazafareen: she is stubborn, determined to know who she was. In order to discover her past she will go against anything and anyone.
Darius remains a loyal and protective daevas towards the woman he loves. He is comfortable in the new world but understands her inadequacy and the fact that the world of the night will never really accept her. She is the daughter of the sun, longing for the light of day but returning to the human world means death for the girl. However, a dangerous enemy approaches and Nazafareen will flee to Delphi, the sunlit city. And from that moment on, the new enterprise of our heroine will start on that unknown continent to discover truth about herself and the place that "hosts" her.
The new setting is bizarre because it is divided into two, Solis and Nocturne. Solis is the realm of mortals where the sun beats while Nocturne is the territory of the clan daevas illuminated by three moons. A fascinating world, described in detail.
In this new series, Persian mythology goes to mix with what we know quite well, Greek mythology. We hear about Artemis, the Oracle of Delphi and others.
Kat is never denied. In less than a year she has become one of my favorite authors I can't do without. I can't but be grateful for this new series. Thanks so much! ;)
Although I was orphaned for a short time, Nazafareen and Darius missed me so much. What creates Kat causes an addiction that makes difficult the separation from the pages. Change scenery, change the company but action, adventure, intrigue and love remain constant in history.
Nazafareen is without memories. She arrives in Nocturne half dead after the decisive battle that we read on Queen of Chaos but, thanks to Darius and Victor, she manages to heal her body. However, her memory is gone, she has no memory of her childhood, her life as a Water Dog, nothing at all. Darius doesn' t tell her everything to protect her from pain but she wants to know.
We know Nazafareen: she is stubborn, determined to know who she was. In order to discover her past she will go against anything and anyone.
Darius remains a loyal and protective daevas towards the woman he loves. He is comfortable in the new world but understands her inadequacy and the fact that the world of the night will never really accept her. She is the daughter of the sun, longing for the light of day but returning to the human world means death for the girl. However, a dangerous enemy approaches and Nazafareen will flee to Delphi, the sunlit city. And from that moment on, the new enterprise of our heroine will start on that unknown continent to discover truth about herself and the place that "hosts" her.
The new setting is bizarre because it is divided into two, Solis and Nocturne. Solis is the realm of mortals where the sun beats while Nocturne is the territory of the clan daevas illuminated by three moons. A fascinating world, described in detail.
In this new series, Persian mythology goes to mix with what we know quite well, Greek mythology. We hear about Artemis, the Oracle of Delphi and others.
Kat is never denied. In less than a year she has become one of my favorite authors I can't do without. I can't but be grateful for this new series. Thanks so much! ;)
June 2, 2019
Nocturne gave a great start of a new series called the Fourth Talisman. Once again, I was able to meet my old book friends named Nazafareen and Darius. Thank you, Miss Kat Ross, for bringing them back again and letting me experience another fascinating story.
In this first installment of the Fourth Talisman, Nazafareen enters a new yet dangerous journey. She couldn’t remember something about herself before she comes to Nocturne, which led her to seek what those memories were. Darius, on the other hand, tried to protect her by not telling her everything, but because of it, Nazafareen started to slip away from him. Searching for answers that she has been looking for and when the dangerous enemy arrives, she fled to Delphi, an unsafe place for someone like her. Discovering something about herself and also about the place she fled to are the start of an exciting and enjoyable story.
Everything is so great that I want to re-read the previous series where I met Nazafareen and some of the old characters. They are still interesting to me, and the new characters added more fuel to my desire to continue reading their journey. The plot is… oh I don’t know how to explain it, but the author made me read a fantastic story once again. I really love how she wrote this book and how she knitted together great ideas into one story. All I could say do right now is to give a thumbs up to her for giving me a splendid time reading this novel.
I am recommending this book to everyone, especially if you wanted to read Fantasy with a unique plot and interesting characters. Reading the previous series is not necessary, but I really do suggests that you do it. This new series means a new adventure that I can enjoy and also a new area where I could meet old friends again.
Disclaimer: I received a readers copy of this book from Xpresso Book Tours.
BLOG POST LINK: https://wp.me/p7AwHZ-55b
In this first installment of the Fourth Talisman, Nazafareen enters a new yet dangerous journey. She couldn’t remember something about herself before she comes to Nocturne, which led her to seek what those memories were. Darius, on the other hand, tried to protect her by not telling her everything, but because of it, Nazafareen started to slip away from him. Searching for answers that she has been looking for and when the dangerous enemy arrives, she fled to Delphi, an unsafe place for someone like her. Discovering something about herself and also about the place she fled to are the start of an exciting and enjoyable story.
Everything is so great that I want to re-read the previous series where I met Nazafareen and some of the old characters. They are still interesting to me, and the new characters added more fuel to my desire to continue reading their journey. The plot is… oh I don’t know how to explain it, but the author made me read a fantastic story once again. I really love how she wrote this book and how she knitted together great ideas into one story. All I could say do right now is to give a thumbs up to her for giving me a splendid time reading this novel.
I am recommending this book to everyone, especially if you wanted to read Fantasy with a unique plot and interesting characters. Reading the previous series is not necessary, but I really do suggests that you do it. This new series means a new adventure that I can enjoy and also a new area where I could meet old friends again.
Disclaimer: I received a readers copy of this book from Xpresso Book Tours.
BLOG POST LINK: https://wp.me/p7AwHZ-55b
September 6, 2018
Ostensibly a new series- the Fourth Talisman- Nocturne is really just a continuation of Ross's first series the Fourth Element, as it contains exactly the same characters as the first three books. This isn't a bad thing, it just seems unnecessary to have a whole new series when the first one was working just fine.
Anyway, Nocturne finds Nazafareen and Darius in Darius' home world of Nocturne-a land with no sun, but three moons. It's never full day, only moon day, which I suppose must be fairly bright considering that there's plants and animals living there.
Nocturne jumps around in POV from Nazafareen to Darius to Cuchlan to Victor to some new baddies. Yes, we once again have religious zealots determined to leash the daevas for their own nefarious purposes. In his search for Nazafareen, Darius runs afoul of them. Nazafareen escapes and ends up with Maenads, and her traveling companion Javid ends up in prison. You get the feeling that Nazafareen is bad luck to the people around her? Well you should. She is. Her choices often leave the people she cares about in dire straits. She needs to rethink her life choices.
Although not quite as good as the first two books, Nocturne is still an excellent read. There's action, suspense, mystery, and love. I'm assuming the books were written for the YA audience since they're pretty PG. And because they're written better than most adult books.
Nocturne ends on a serious cliffhangar, which annoys the piss out of me. Yes, I'll likely read the book in the near future, but still, none of the other books ended on cliffhangers. Why did Ross feel the need to do it this time? I think cliffhangers are nasty little tricks played by authors to get you to buy more of their books. One I refuse to participate in. Most of the time.
Anyway, Nocturne finds Nazafareen and Darius in Darius' home world of Nocturne-a land with no sun, but three moons. It's never full day, only moon day, which I suppose must be fairly bright considering that there's plants and animals living there.
Nocturne jumps around in POV from Nazafareen to Darius to Cuchlan to Victor to some new baddies. Yes, we once again have religious zealots determined to leash the daevas for their own nefarious purposes. In his search for Nazafareen, Darius runs afoul of them. Nazafareen escapes and ends up with Maenads, and her traveling companion Javid ends up in prison. You get the feeling that Nazafareen is bad luck to the people around her? Well you should. She is. Her choices often leave the people she cares about in dire straits. She needs to rethink her life choices.
Although not quite as good as the first two books, Nocturne is still an excellent read. There's action, suspense, mystery, and love. I'm assuming the books were written for the YA audience since they're pretty PG. And because they're written better than most adult books.
Nocturne ends on a serious cliffhangar, which annoys the piss out of me. Yes, I'll likely read the book in the near future, but still, none of the other books ended on cliffhangers. Why did Ross feel the need to do it this time? I think cliffhangers are nasty little tricks played by authors to get you to buy more of their books. One I refuse to participate in. Most of the time.
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