For two hundred years Tracato has been the center of enlightenment, as the serrin have occupied human lands and sought to remake humanity anew. But the serrin have not destroyed Rhodaan’s feudal families entirely, and as Tracato faces the greatest threat to its survival in two centuries, old rivalries are stirring. Sasha must assist her mentor Kessligh to strengthen the Tracato Nasi-Keth, yet with one royal sister siding with the feudalists and another soon to be married to Tracato’s most powerful foe, her loyalties are agonizingly divided.
Worse still, from Sasha’s homeland the Army of Lenayin are marching to make war upon Tracato. Can she fight her own people? Or must she join them, and fight not only her lover Errollyn, but to extinguish the brightest light of hope in all the land—serrin civilization itself?
**
From Publishers Weekly
The third (after Petrodor) of a projected four-book fantasy epic exemplifies middle book syndrome. After a rocky welcome in the titular port city, series heroine Sasha discovers her far-flung family gathering to attack Tracato for tangled political and personal reasons. Which side is she on? Treachery and war consume both sides, setting readers up for the conflagration to come. Shepherd is weakest at world-building, switching frequently among an enormous cast of similarly named characters who make long speeches about cultural and religious differences. These beliefs have little actual effect on anyone's action or motivation other than providing an excuse for torture and murder. Humans and nonhumans are indistinguishable despite many statements to the contrary. Nonetheless, vivid battle sequences and complex relationships between colorful, passionate characters leave the reader wanting to know Sasha and company's final fate. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review
Praise for Sasha:
"Those who savor the intricacies of rival religions, vividly choreographed fights, and lots of bloody battle will enjoy it… this heroic fantasy should please fans of, say, George R. R. Martin’s Song of Fire and Ice novels." --Booklist
"Sasha is just my kind of book: complex, action-packed, realistic and unpredictable… I enjoyed Sasha as much as any book I've read recently and was disappointed when I finished it. Volume two can't come soon enough." --Contra Costa Times and San Jose Mercury News
"A huge and complex fantasy world, a fascinating heroine, heart-pounding descriptions of both small-scale sword fights and full-on warfare, several characters that genuinely grow and change, and—maybe most importantly—the hint that this is just the start of what could become a great series. Excellent epic fantasy." --Fantasy Literature’s "Best Books of 2009"
Praise for Petrodor:
"A rollicking story of a preindustrial city caught on the threshold of war, with plenty of action and intrigue… Shepherd doesn't settle for clichés." --San Jose Mercury News
"As soon as the action picks up, the banter, character development, and vivid descriptions build tension toward a gripping climax, leaving tantalizing threads dangling." --Publishers Weekly
For two hundred years Tracato has been the center of enlightenment, as the serrin have occupied human lands and sought to remake humanity anew. But the serrin have not destroyed Rhodaan’s feudal families entirely, and as Tracato faces the greatest threat to its survival in two centuries, old rivalries are stirring. Sasha must assist her mentor Kessligh to strengthen the Tracato Nasi-Keth, yet with one royal sister siding with the feudalists and another soon to be married to Tracato’s most powerful foe, her loyalties are agonizingly divided. Worse still, from Sasha’s homeland the Army of Lenayin are marching to make war upon Tracato. Can she fight her own people? Or must she join them, and fight not only her lover Errollyn, but to extinguish the brightest light of hope in all the land—serrin civilization itself?
Description:
For two hundred years Tracato has been the center of enlightenment, as the serrin have occupied human lands and sought to remake humanity anew. But the serrin have not destroyed Rhodaan’s feudal families entirely, and as Tracato faces the greatest threat to its survival in two centuries, old rivalries are stirring. Sasha must assist her mentor Kessligh to strengthen the Tracato Nasi-Keth, yet with one royal sister siding with the feudalists and another soon to be married to Tracato’s most powerful foe, her loyalties are agonizingly divided.
Worse still, from Sasha’s homeland the Army of Lenayin are marching to make war upon Tracato. Can she fight her own people? Or must she join them, and fight not only her lover Errollyn, but to extinguish the brightest light of hope in all the land—serrin civilization itself?
**
From Publishers Weekly
The third (after Petrodor) of a projected four-book fantasy epic exemplifies middle book syndrome. After a rocky welcome in the titular port city, series heroine Sasha discovers her far-flung family gathering to attack Tracato for tangled political and personal reasons. Which side is she on? Treachery and war consume both sides, setting readers up for the conflagration to come. Shepherd is weakest at world-building, switching frequently among an enormous cast of similarly named characters who make long speeches about cultural and religious differences. These beliefs have little actual effect on anyone's action or motivation other than providing an excuse for torture and murder. Humans and nonhumans are indistinguishable despite many statements to the contrary. Nonetheless, vivid battle sequences and complex relationships between colorful, passionate characters leave the reader wanting to know Sasha and company's final fate. (Oct.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review
Praise for Sasha:
"Those who savor the intricacies of rival religions, vividly choreographed fights, and lots of bloody battle will enjoy it… this heroic fantasy should please fans of, say, George R. R. Martin’s Song of Fire and Ice novels."
--Booklist
"Sasha is just my kind of book: complex, action-packed, realistic and unpredictable… I enjoyed Sasha as much as any book I've read recently and was disappointed when I finished it. Volume two can't come soon enough."
--Contra Costa Times and San Jose Mercury News
"A huge and complex fantasy world, a fascinating heroine, heart-pounding descriptions of both small-scale sword fights and full-on warfare, several characters that genuinely grow and change, and—maybe most importantly—the hint that this is just the start of what could become a great series. Excellent epic fantasy."
--Fantasy Literature’s "Best Books of 2009"
Praise for Petrodor:
"A rollicking story of a preindustrial city caught on the threshold of war, with plenty of action and intrigue… Shepherd doesn't settle for clichés." --San Jose Mercury News
"As soon as the action picks up, the banter, character development, and vivid descriptions build tension toward a gripping climax, leaving tantalizing threads dangling." --Publishers Weekly