Not a full review but reading the comments here I really wanted to say that I think this book is a little underrated, mostly because it seems no one gets where Ashe is coming from in this series. One complaint is that it that the time period doesn't make sense, another that names and words are hard to say, others about the amount of clan wars or the mixture of elements. I'm not an expert on the subject matter but .. I think what Ashe did here was very clever and refreshing. She has tried to evoke a Bylina through her trilogy in that she takes faucets of Russian history over several epochs and blends it heavily with folklore. Bogatyrs and Guslis aren't figments of Ash's imagination (yes guslis are actual instruments) and if she were to translate to western equivalents for easier reading the trilogy would have lost its feeling and intent. There are many clan wars because there were many clan wars in actual history. The idea of Drakhoul comes from Vlad, the inspiration for Dracula. If you are familiar with history you know Vlad was part of the order of the Dragon. He was therefore known as Vlad Dracul or, in English, Vlad the Dragon. Dracula literally means Son of the Dragon. If you are aware of this the combination of dragon and vampire makes much more sense. We also know that Vlad was reputed for horrific acts of violence and being a great warload. He also used a scorched earth policy. Everything else about the Trilogy is the same: You will appreciate it better if you know some history as well as a thing or two about Russia in general. I'm impressed with the concept behind the book and the way it was executed. Every time I read the book I find a new thread to pull.. a name or event tying to Russia's past or mythology. Ash also has a great style. She is descriptive enough to conjure the exotic history and folklore she was trying to bring to life but not so much it slowed the story down. Unlike other reviewers I loved the cast of characters. I may not have liked each character but I enjoyed how they were portrayed. Ash took the time to show different aspects of their personality and their motivations .. Prince Eugene, for instance, we get to see both his soft and cruel sides. I think sometimes Ash was just too subtle that maybe some people would have preferred a clearer explanation but I myself liked the subtle way the characters personalities were revealed. I do agree the writing could have been a bit stronger in some places. The plot is also very fast paced. Sometimes I think Ash glossed over a thing or two getting too caught up in her story. Still I think it's a great read whether you are reading it to escape into an exotic and intriguing landscape with a romantic backstory or you appreciate Ash's attempt to conjure the culture, history, and folklore of Rossiya.
There is a lot I liked about this book, but there are a handful of things that irked me as well. Reviews for it seem to be mixed, which is understandable. This is a heavily plot-driven book, it focuses more on the story it's telling than on the development of each character, and some people just don't like that. I, however, can appreciate a book for the story it tells without needing to feel significantly attached to any of the characters. I like a good story, and this is a good story.Lord of Snow and Shadows is set in Rossiya, an empire divided into five princedoms long ago. Gavril Andar grew up in the summer lands of Smarna, raised by his mother without any knowledge of his father. He lives as a painter, an apprentice to his mother, until the day men, warriors called druzhina, come for him from the frozen northern princedom of Azhkendir. The ruler of Azhkendir, the Drakhoan, has been assassinated, and Gavril is his only heir. But Gavril has inherited more than lands and a title; he now finds himself in the middle of a decades old blood feud, surrounded by people who expect him to avenge the death of his father and, in doing so, submit to the dark, terrible power within himself.The writing is simple, but the plot moves quickly enough that I couldn't put it down. One specific thing in the writing that drove me a bit crazy was Ash's propensity to describe things as being like mist over the moors. Or fog over the moors. Or snow over the moors. Or wind over the moors. Over the moors. Over the moors. It was pretty the first time, charming the second, and after that I was just annoyed. The characters, though underdeveloped, are likable, even intriguing in some cases. I can't say that I really care for any of them, but I am curious to see where the story takes them. I do hope, however, that in the following two books, if none of the other characters get developed more, that at least little Princess Karila starts speaking and behaving like the child she is.I really do like the story, though, and the world. It's very different from the worlds in other fantasy books I've read. It's an interesting combination of medieval and Victorian culture, a fantasy cousin of Russia in the dying days of the Romanovs. There is something sorrowful and dangerous about the magic and the future the political turmoil is leading to, and I'm going to keep reading for that.
What do You think about Lord Of Snow And Shadows (2004)?
I'm a bit unsure about this book. There is quite an intriguing idea behind it: the ruling family of the kingdom Azhkendir carrying a Drakhaoul in their body, passed down the generations, and are able to become a dragon when the need to defend themselves or the land presents itself, but something didn't quite click for me.The idea was interesting, but the story was quite predictable at times and nothing much seems to happen for a lot of the story. Gavril (the protagonist) seems to fall into his role as Lord Drakhaon a little too easily given that he had no idea of his heritage at the start of the book, relationships seem to develop with little interaction between the characters and new information is introduced seemingly at random at a late point. For example, towards the end of the book we find out that one of the characters has only got one eye; whilst not a main character he has been in it enough that this is something which should really have been mentioned before and confused me immensely when it was first mentioned.For some reason I also had a lot of trouble keeping track of who was who. Characters were sometimes introduced with so little that upon their reappearance I was left scrabbling for some idea of who they were. This wasn't helped by the fact that some of the characters had a title and two names which were interchangeably used by seemingly all the characters. This made it quite difficult for me to keep track and I found myself on more than one occassion having to flick back to see if I was thinking of the right person.Having said this, there are some wonderful moments with Gavril struggling to come to terms with the daemon he has inherited, whether he should use his abilities and dealing with the aftermath of his decisions. The journeys of some of the other characters are particularly nice and it is wonderful seeing them find their place. There are also tense sequences towards the end of the book which draw you in, the climactic battle in particular.All in all, an enjoyable enough read with quite a cliffhanger of an ending, but I'm still pretty sure that I won't be carrying on with the series.
—Melanie
Lord of Snow and Shadows begins quietly: a portraitist and his sitter, a conversation, a kiss. It is a fairy tale extended: archetypal love hampered by status and opposed by blueblood parents; a lowly painter, named Gavril, forbidden communication with the lovely, aristocratic Altessa Astasia who loves him. This burst of conflict is the story’s first impetus, quickly followed and surpassed by the initiating incident: the appearance of strange, barbarian men who claim to be the loyal bodyguard of
—Stephanie
I was in the library looking for a book to read and came across this series. I had never heard of it but it had a cool enough looking cover so I got it. I wasn’t disappointed. I really enjoyed this book. It had a lot of really interesting and likable characters and a very clever and exciting storyline. I did get a little confused at some points and found that certain parts weren’t very well explained but other then that it was really an enjoyable book. I really liked the way it ended and look forward to starting the next book.
—Crazy Uncle Ryan
