A Betrayal in Winter

A Shadow in Summer, the first book in this series, is an engaging read. It's a minor-keyed tragedy, unpretentious and involving, that in no way prepares the reader for the rip-roaring emotional thrills of A Betrayal in Winter. This new book takes a while to get going, but the careful set-up is more than worth the work. Once this exquisitely plotted tale of violent succession kicks into gear it becomes a propulsive page turner, each chapter bringing new revelations of its characters' tortured hearts. The thrills here are of the highest order, deriving from the development of the characters' conflicting desires and the suspense of what each of them will do next. As in Shadow in Summer, the fantasy element is elegant and subdued. This is more of a political thriller set within a fictional world, with perhaps more in common with Macbeth than traditional mass market fantasy.

After having read Shadow in Summer, which was very good, I was not expecting the next installment in the series to be quite this good. I give it a summa cum laude rating - highest praise. It is hard to describe to those who haven't read it what makes this book so superlative, but it has to do with how the reader is kept on edge by the elements of intrigue and danger to the main sympathetic characters, while at the same time the author weaves in a deep sense of compassion and undestadning for ALL the characters, very much including the antagonists. In this installment the andats ('ideas made real' -- think ancient WMD), which are an important aspect of the series, play a relatively minor role. Expect that role to expand in the next installment with the start war between the Khaiem and the Galts (presumably). I can hardly wait.

So often I read a book that I love the first and after that it goes downhill. This book was so good that I am even more nervous that the next will disappoint. To have the "good" and the "bad" characters both grow is so refreshing. And the depth and realness that is possible with the characters all using a common body language is ingenious. Probably five authors I would give five stars to, to some of their books. If you didn't get it by now, I'm just saying, I really liked this book.

This is a great book! It is full of intrigue, murder, love triangles, and true psychological drama. In it, Otah Machi, having been exiled from his hometown, returns when his father, the ruler, is dying and one of Otah's brothers has just been killed. Now, who will be the next ruler, and who else must die before a ruler is chosen? Reading this book, you feel the internal struggles of characters forced to cope with love, guilt, social status, and power. This book does not have the gripping action sequences and array of strange creatures found in many fantasy novels. But what it has is even better: CHARACTERS. Its characters are intricate, and real. They have complex minds, and feel emotions so multifaceted, yet believable, that I can really empathize with them. In the fantasy genre, where characters are often too simple and flimsy, this book is a real treat. Watching this book's characters is like watching a dance, or perhaps, more fittingly for this book, a game of stones. There are always moves you can predict, if you have paid enough attention to the characters, and hundreds of moves you cannot. And every move the characters make feels true to them, even when they are truly unexpected. Also, Daniel Abraham's imagery is wonderful. Sometimes subtle, and at other times blatant, his imagery sets a tone for the book, gives it a sense of location and time. I found Abraham's prose very compelling, and the book's images have stuck in my head. Having finished his book, images of stone, rock, and the poet's andat still cling to the back of my mind. You should certainly read this book! A+