Lord of Snow and Shadows
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3.9 • 11 Ratings
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- $3.99
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- $3.99
Publisher Description
Combining the best of fantasy traditions with her own unique vision, Sarah Ash brings us a new saga filled with epic adventure and unforgettable characters—set in a world teeming with political intrigue, astonishing magic, and passions both dark and light. . . .
“Unusual . . . exotic . . . Well worth the read!”—Katherine Kurtz, author of Crusade of Fire
Raised by his protective mother in the sunny climes of the south, Gavril Andar knows nothing of his father—or of the ominous legacy that awaits him. But now the man who ruled the wintry kingdom of Azhkendir, a man infused with the burning blood of the dragon-warrior known as Drakhaoul—has been murdered by his enemies.
Expected to avenge his father’s death—and still his unquiet ghost—Gavril soon learns that becoming Drakhaon means not only ascending to the throne of Azhkendir but slowly changing into a being of extraordinary power and might. A being that must be replenished with the blood of innocents in order to survive…
“Unusually complex [with] a smooth style, breathtaking atmosphere, and a fickle, impetuous plot.”—Dave Duncan, author of Paragon Lost
“A splendid tale . . . Sarah Ash is destined to be one of the bright luminaries of fantasy.”—Dennis L. McKiernan, author of the Mithgar series
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this excellent start to a new fantasy series from British author Ash (Moths to a Flame), Gavril Andar, an idealistic young artist, falls for the nobly born Astasia Orlova, whose portrait he's been hired to paint. Luckily, he's attractive enough for Astasia to return the favor. He doesn't know he's also Gavril Nagarian, son of the recently assassinated ruler of the wintry kingdom of Azhkendir, and that fate is about to deal him a dreadful blow. Like his father before him, Gavril becomes soul-bound to the Drakhaoul, a creature that grants awesome power at a terrible price. Kidnapped, Gavril finds himself trapped in Kastel Drakhaon, reluctant to draw on his new magical abilities, as their use only makes him more beast-like and less human. But with Prince Eugene of Tielin threatening to reconquer all of the Rossiyan Empire, he may have no choice. Fascinating and unpredictable, Gavril's tale gains richness from the grand scope of Ash's narrative, with its echoes of Russian history under the czars. Enhanced by supporting characters who are living, breathing individuals, this book will leave readers drooling to get their hands on the sequel from the moment they turn its final page.
Customer Reviews
Promising start went awry
This book started out so promising - a rich world full of complex characters and a complex plot. I was so invested in the characters that sometimes I would briefly skim ahead just to make sure someone survived something that had ended at a chapter cliffhanger. But then, a large part of the way through the book, the plot suddenly and abruptly (at least to me) veered into the type of fantasy novel that I am not particularly interested in reading. As this plot droned on and on, I found myself starting to skim or outright skip sections in a book I’d been reading late at night due to my previous great interest. When the book ended with the implication that the plot development I hated would be the basis of the next book, I (virtually) put down the book with no interest in reading the next one.
A little more detail follows *with spoilers* - What I specifically hated was the sudden turn to the siege with the destruction of the castle and one character’s obsession with revenge for something that hadn’t even actually happened. Further I was very disappointed in how this character seemed to be in love with another character and yet the writing seemed to not actually say this, I guess because it would have been same-sex love. By suddenly turning to a focus on violence and by having an awkwardly portrayed same-sex love as the fuel for this violence, the author and the plot both completely lost me as a reader.
An excellent and in-depth story
I grabbed this book from a used book store purely on my love of the cover art. I sped through it and quickly bought the other 2 of the series. The author creates a very intense pace with lots of detailed characters. The story was very reminiscent of Russian history and an extremely fun and refreshing read. It is a very complete story that continues book to book. I would (and have) recommend this to others.