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Shadowbridge (Shadowbridge #1)

by Gregory Frost

3.63 · rating details · 235 ratings · 66 reviews

"You rattle the darkness where you walk, Jax."

Enter Shadowbridge, a world of linked spiraling spans of bridges on which all impossibilities can happen. Ghosts parade, inscrutable gods cast riddles, and dangerous magic is unleashed.
Monstrous creatures drain the lives of children and for a price, you can sample their fleeting quintessence--provide...more

Paperback, 255 pages

Published December 26th 2007 by Del Rey (first published January 15th 2007)

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Mar 26, 2008

Shannon rated it

Shelves: fantasy, 2008

One of the most remarkable and unique fantasy books I've read in a while, Shadowbridge is about a watery world where a giant bridge goes on forever, branching off into different spans and spirals, held together by an unknown magic and the whim of the Edgeworld gods. No one knows where it ends, or if it does in fact end, or even how it came to be. There is some land - islands, hills suddenly appearing - but the people on the Shadowbridge care nothing for how their food gets to the market, or why ...moreOne of the most remarkable and unique fantasy books I've read in a while, Shadowbridge is about a watery world where a giant bridge goes on forever, branching off into different spans and spirals, held together by an unknown magic and the whim of the Edgeworld gods. No one knows where it ends, or if it does in fact end, or even how it came to be. There is some land - islands, hills suddenly appearing - but the people on the Shadowbridge care nothing for how their food gets to the market, or why some spans are blessed and others are left to rot.

Across the spans travels Leodora, daughter of the famous puppeteer Bardsham. She grew up on an island called Bouyan, raised by her overbearing uncle, until he pushes things too far and she escapes to the bridge with her father's old friend Soter and two large cases of shadow-puppets. Like her father before her, she collects the stories of the spans and performs them for large crowds, all under the psuedonym of Jax because women aren't so welcome here, or anywhere.

She has a mysterious Coral Man in the bottom of one case that for years called to her from the bottom of the sea. Soter is harbouring secrets about her parents, both gone now. Their new musician, Diverus, has been blessed by the gods with the ability to play any musical instrument put in his hands. And two 'men' on a scary black ship are hunting Leodora.

This is the first half of a two-book story, to be concluded in Lord Tophet. It is so well written, you wouldn't be able to edit out a single sentence. I'm quite in awe. The characters are well developed and interesting; Leodora especially is engaging, quick and brave. Diverus I'm sure we'll get to know better in the next book, but I've already got a sweet spot for him. All sorts of creatures populate the spans, from all sorts of mythology, including Asian, and the architecture is just as wildly imaginative - such as the candy-coated homes of one ancient span.

I don't usually care for stories within a book, they tend to bore me. But the stories in Shadowbridge are wonderful. I particularly liked the one about how Death met his bride. There are still many unanswered questions about this world, but everything is carefully revealed and paced, and it's so well written (I just have to say that again) that it's hard to believe one man came up with this from his own imagination. I loved this book, and I highly recommend it.(less)

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Apr 03, 2008

Jeffrey rated it

Recommends it for: fantasy readers

Shelves: fantasy, read-in-2008

Lyrical novel about a puppeteer, her musician accompaniest and a strange and wonderful world teeming with people all of whom live on or below a bridge. The novel is generally divided into sections and interludes. Various interludes are stories about or by gods, or avatars of gods, demons, death and the maker of the world. The sections are bigger stories about two of the main characters Lea and Devirtus, both of whom have encounters with the Gods. Unlike Frost's earlier book Lyrec, this book ...more

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May 17, 2010

Travis rated it

Shelves: reviewed

Shadowbridge by Gregory Frost- This is the first book of a two book adventure. The second book is called Lord Tophet. Gregory Frost's other works include; Attack of the Jazz Giants and Other Short Stories, Fitcher's Bride, The Pure Cold Light, Tain, Remscela, and Lyrec.

The story is about a puppeteer named Leodora who discovers that her father was the great shadow-puppeteer named Bardsham. It also tells the story of the troupes musician, Diverus and his strange background. The story i...moreShadowbridge by Gregory Frost- This is the first book of a two book adventure. The second book is called Lord Tophet. Gregory Frost's other works include; Attack of the Jazz Giants and Other Short Stories, Fitcher's Bride, The Pure Cold Light, Tain, Remscela, and Lyrec.

The story is about a puppeteer named Leodora who discovers that her father was the great shadow-puppeteer named Bardsham. It also tells the story of the troupes musician, Diverus and his strange background. The story is mostly filled with the stories that Leodora, or commonly known as Jax, tells during her shadow-puppet plays. Most of the short stories have to do with the creation of the world, which is mostly consisting of a sea and spanned by bridges called the Shadowbridge. On these bridges or spans, most of the worlds populace live, with others living on little islands around the spans. The main focus however, is on the back stories of the two main characters, Leodora and Jax. With Leodora's back story, you learn that she was raised by her grandfather, grandmother, aunt and uncle in a small fishing island beneath the Shadowbridge. Their family brings the fish to market up on the Shadowbridge. During a trip, Leodora gets separated from her uncle and grandfather and is almost kidnapped, when her family rescues her. After the attempted kidnapping, her life changes dramatically and she runs away from home with her father's friend, Soter, who brought Leodora back to her family after her birth. Diverus' story, on the other hand, is much different. He was born mentally challenged and through the power of a nameless god, he becomes aware. But he is thrown into a disgusting and horrified world before meeting Leodora.

Negatives:
1) Lack of Story. There doesn't really seem to ever be a solid story. Really, this book is just a bunch of shorter stories with little patches in which a main story is told after the tales. Also, about half the book is back story for the two main characters. While the 'real' story doesn't start-up until the last fifty pages, for the majority of the book it really just feels like an anthology and really nothing else. At times, it was a little frustrating to not have a main story line and that everything that happens in the present is seeped in mystery.
2) Scene Breaks. It was hard at times to know when a scene was done. When a scene was over, there was a strip of nothing to symbolize this. What my problem with that was, after a tale was told, it ended at the end of a page and when the next page started, I wasn't sure why suddenly we were in the present again. It was a little disorienting.
3) Jax's Identity. In the start of the story, we were told the reason why Leodora is Jax is because women, in this world, aren't usually allowed to do things she was doing. This is why she was Jax, her male disguise. Which is fine and understandable, but after we meet Diverus, it just suddenly is known she's a woman, yet at the same time it wasn't. It was a little confusing. The scene doing this is when Jax is trying to hide from a tavern keeper's wife's 'needs.' The problem was that we knew that Jax was Leodora, yet every other time when Jax was mentioned, it was followed with Leodora and it felt a little confusing and awkward to read something that the character was referred to in two different ways.

Positives:
1) Stories. Honestly, they were just great. They were interesting, well told, and really helped understand the world. They had the feel of mythology and religions that we have in our world today. Some of the stories involved various gods and heroes, reflecting things in Greek and Roman mythology. Then other stories told of the creation of the world and how death came to be. I really thought they were clever and how they were introduced was just wonderful.
2) Back Stories. Just like the tales within the stories, the back stories were just wonderful. They really make you care about the characters and gave a lot of insight to their personal state of being. Not only that but they were disturbing in various ways. Each story made me feel disgusted by what happens to the characters and it really makes you feel more emotion towards them.
3) Cliffhanger. This is yet another story that has a cliffhanger that makes it so that you can't wait to pick up the next book. This is mostly caused by the fact that you have little story and you hope that the mysteries that were given are explained in some way in the next installment. Still, the story hooks you in a way that you don't want to let go.

Side Notes:
1) Myths and Tales. While I mentioned them above, they still were great. I really hope to read more about this world and the various things about it.
2) Shadowbridges. They were just simply interesting. How something came to be is an interesting question and I liked how each span was totally different and consisted of a different culture. Even the descriptions made them sound impressive.
3) Cover Art. I do like it. It does give a wonderful example of the bridge and how crowded it is. It's just pretty and not really all that busy for your eyes to look at.

Overall: 4/5
Final Thoughts:
Even though there is no real story line until the last thirty or so pages, it was interesting reading about the various tales. Now I'm a sucker for mythology like what was given and the tales were entertaining to say the least. The characters were great because you connected with them and I did feel bad about some of the things they've been through. It really is an entertaining, fun read.(less)

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Mar 07, 2009

The Flooze (Michelle M.) rated it

Recommends it for: lovers of epic fantasy & myth

Shelves: fantasy, vanquished_2009

I'll preface this by saying that I don't generally do well with epic, sweeping tales of fantasy. If you do, then by all means, take my commentary with a grain of salt. The story is lyrical, but I can't get the beat.

Shadowbridge is an epic sort of tale, and within it are the yarns of different cultures, different civilizations. All of these stories are collected and held dear by a young puppeteer named Leodora.

Frost creates here a world filled with myth and magic and the...moreI'll preface this by saying that I don't generally do well with epic, sweeping tales of fantasy. If you do, then by all means, take my commentary with a grain of salt. The story is lyrical, but I can't get the beat.

Shadowbridge is an epic sort of tale, and within it are the yarns of different cultures, different civilizations. All of these stories are collected and held dear by a young puppeteer named Leodora.

Frost creates here a world filled with myth and magic and the blessings of the gods. He begins with Leodora's history, her childhood and early womanhood, telling us how the puppeteer came to her craft. Her parents are mysterious figures, of whom she catches glimpses through the stories of her aunt and of her father's old manager, Soter.

The story is slow-moving, as most epic tales are, until she meets the musician Diverus. The tempo picks up and curiosity is almost peaked.

But there aren't any resolutions to be found in this part of the story. Instead, we're left with lots of questions. And under that deluge of questions, it's hard to muster up enough interest in the answers. Frost gives us a taste of the possibly sinister machinations at work, but doesn't give us enough info to make us long for the answers.

There is a second part to the story, called Lord Tophet, and perhaps if both pieces were one volume, the reader wouldn't feel so lost, so confused. At the end of Shadowbridge, we're left with no clue what the hell is going on. And without that clue, I for one don't really care to find out more.

All that aside, the world-concept of endless spans of bridges is interesting-but without the cover illustration, it's sort of hard to conjure a mental image. The avatars of the gods are the most interesting characters, and seem far more full of life than the protagonist. The tales that Leodora collects are fascinating, especially those told by Kitsune and the Ondiont. The follow-up story may be worth reading merely for more of these captivating myths. (less)

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Jul 29, 2009

lynne naranek rated it

Shelves: 2009

I enjoyed the whole storyteller angle of this book/series.

The world Mr Frost has built is also interesting: it seems to be mainly water, with some land here and there, but with an infinite number of bridges (and spans, and spirals) upon which various people live. Each span has its own peoples and culture and language, and therefore each span has its own stories... and thus the storyteller goes around collecting stories and performing them for his/her audience.

The rea...more

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Jul 02, 2011

Michelle rated it

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, books-i-own

I read this novel for calico_reaction's February Dare Challenge. I really enjoyed the January Dare read, Replay (who I ended up lending to my mom, and she loved it too!), so I snatched this from my local used book store (thankfully they had it, because nowhere else in town did) and snuck into my reading schedule. I've been super busy this month and haven't had a lot of time for reading, so thankfully this book was fairly short. :) Unfortunately, this book is also a duology, and there is no dou...moreI read this novel for calico_reaction's February Dare Challenge. I really enjoyed the January Dare read, Replay (who I ended up lending to my mom, and she loved it too!), so I snatched this from my local used book store (thankfully they had it, because nowhere else in town did) and snuck into my reading schedule. I've been super busy this month and haven't had a lot of time for reading, so thankfully this book was fairly short. :) Unfortunately, this book is also a duology, and there is no doubt in my mind that it was originally written to be one single book, but more on that in the review. No spoilers, so if you want to read the full-review, no need to worry.

To start, I have to say, I really enjoyed this book! Calico has yet to be let me down.

This book's strength, is in my opinion, found in the world-building. The spans, the spirals, the bridge, everything just sounded so cool. It sounded like a world where I would want to live. I love how the cover depicted pretty much how I pictured the world, so kudos to awesome cover designs.

The story had a very fairy tale-esque feel to it, with Leodora being a Cinderella of sorts: she's an orphan who's raised by her pretty evil uncle, is ostracized by the entire community, and ends up running away so that she can become a shadow puppeteer, following in the footsteps of her late father. Leodora's back story was very sad and I felt really empathetic towards her. Poor girl couldn't get a break. Her pathetic story also had a very magical feel pervading throughout, and it really just fitted well with the story and the setting. I don't know how to explain it, but this whole book had something special about it that I can't quite put my finger on.

This can also be said about Diverus' story, which while I found a little boring at first for some reason, really gripped me after awhile. I especially liked how the brothels worked. You think they're prostituting young boys for sex, but it's actually something completely different and also very magical, like the rest of the book. It was very neat and a nifty little bit of world-building, which Frost has proven he's very adept at.

The theme behind the book is also very well executed: the power of stories, and how they change. I absolutely loved the stories that were told by the different characters throughout the story, and how even some of the flashbacks were pulled off (such as Diverus', which is introduced by something along the lines of: "This is how Leodora told his story.." or something to that effect; just brilliant.) Again, and I can't stress this enough, it just all felt so magical and really amped the atmosphere/feeling this novel gives off.

The one thing to keep in mind when reading this book is something I mentioned above: this series is only two books long, and I'm pretty positive it was meant to be one single book. For one, you can tell by the pacing. This whole first volume is set up, so if you don't keep in mind that this book was intended to be one volume, then the pacing can come off as really slow, or uneven. I've read reviews where people have said that they felt like nothing happens in this book, that it's all flashbacks, and for the most part this is true (though I would argue about nothing happening -- quite a bit happens, I thought) but if this were one book, it would really come off quite well. So, just something to keep in mind when reading. Also, the book ends on a complete cliff-hanger, so it would be wise to have the sequel on hand if you find yourself liking this first installment.

Final Verdict: I whole-heartedly recommend this novel. It's quite different from your usual fantasy fare and has some beautiful world-building. Frost has also proven to be an adept story-teller by giving us a story about stories. The book is all very fairy-tale-esque and exudes a very magical feel that just made me all warm and fuzzy and was really immersive. Be warned though: if you're going to read this book, as soon as you find yourself to start liking it, make sure to get Lord Tophet, the sequel. :) I don't have a copy yet, as they didn't carry it at any of the book stores where I live, but I'm visiting my boyfriend out of town this week, so I'm off to go buy myself a copy very shortly. And I have to say, I can't wait to read the sequel. (less)

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Jul 08, 2009

Phil rated it

I have to admit, after the first 5 pages, I though, "I am not even going to finish this book." Initially, the writing style just threw me off. BUT, I'm happy to say that it was a good read, and I'm glad I stuck with it. It's a clever world with real characters. Now I just have to find a copy of the second book so I can finish the story. OH, and another thing, this is a TWO parts story. Personally, I think it was one book that the publisher just split down the middle to raise some ...more

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Jan 02, 2011

Madeline rated it

Shelves: sff, 2011, women, coming-of-age, high-fantasy, drag, dragons, music, over-rated, novels

1. Hmm - I suppose I wasn't completely sold on this book, maybe because it can't decide if it wants to be a tightly plotted adventure story or a meditative look at art and storytelling (with family baggage). Frankly, at 250 pages, it's not long enough to do both - or, anyway, Frost is not an economical enough a writer to do both. Either of those approaches would have been fine by me, since I am perfectly capable of enjoying both kinds of books when they are done well. In this case, however, Shad...more1. Hmm - I suppose I wasn't completely sold on this book, maybe because it can't decide if it wants to be a tightly plotted adventure story or a meditative look at art and storytelling (with family baggage). Frankly, at 250 pages, it's not long enough to do both - or, anyway, Frost is not an economical enough a writer to do both. Either of those approaches would have been fine by me, since I am perfectly capable of enjoying both kinds of books when they are done well. In this case, however, Shadowbridge pulled me in two directions without committing to one. I know that this is the first of two books, but that seems to be frankly unnecessary.

2. One really concrete structural change I can pinpoint, and I think it would have made a big difference to my appreciation of the novel: I'd rather Frost had cut the section where we learn all about Leodora's past life and growing up. The novel would have been better served if he'd eliminated the flashback all together, and let us infer the relevant information from the characters' present lives. Instead, the ~50 pages bloat the novel, condescend to the readers, and slow down the pace. This section does not cut down on portentous allusions to the characters' past lives. I assume its purpose is to give us some character development and also wold-building, but frankly the characters have fairly strong personalities and they don't belong to any particularly unusual archetype and anyone even a little bit able to think analytically will figure it out. (And frankly, figuring things out is one of the pleasures of reading!)

3. I know this was on the honors list or whatever for the Tiptree Award, but actually I don't think it does very much with the themes of gender and sexuality?

4. Sometimes this book is funny, and then I enjoyed it. Well, maybe smart-alecky is a better way of putting it - anyway, those are the good parts. And the world-building is also interesting, or would be . . . it's kind of specious. I also thought the stuff about art and music and stories was interesting but - well, not sufficient. This book needed to be more elegant or denser, but it certainly shouldn't be two books (Lord Tophet is only 240 pages). So, yeah.(less)

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Feb 05, 2009

Ryan Mishap rated it

Shelves: adult-fantasy

While this adult fantasy book has an interesting world--a world of mostly sea transversed by huge bridges that serve as almost entirely seperate countries--the story is kind of a drag. A young adult girl, orphaned with her bilious uncle on land (lowerclass) below the bridges, decides to ascend as a puppeteer--the occupation of her famous father. She is accompanied by her father's drunken helper. One of the gods visits her and tells her a story and these tales are told throughout the book as...more

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Sep 11, 2008

Juushika rated it

In a world where inhabitants live on bridges which span wide oceans and replace cities and continents, sixteen-year-old Leodora travels from city to city to build her reputation as a master puppeteer and storyteller. But Leodora is haunted by the mystery of her father, who was once a great puppeteer, and touched by the gods whose presence portends marvelous and terrible events to come. Shadowbridge is the first half of a duology, and it sets up the story, introducing Leodora and her traveling co...moreIn a world where inhabitants live on bridges which span wide oceans and replace cities and continents, sixteen-year-old Leodora travels from city to city to build her reputation as a master puppeteer and storyteller. But Leodora is haunted by the mystery of her father, who was once a great puppeteer, and touched by the gods whose presence portends marvelous and terrible events to come. Shadowbridge is the first half of a duology, and it sets up the story, introducing Leodora and her traveling companions and the fantastic, imaginative world of Shadowbridge. These factors are both intriguing, but as the first half of a complete story the book suffers from a lack of direction and cliffhanger ending. I plan to continue right on to the sequel, Lord Tophet, and I enjoyed and recommend this book.

Although they are published as two separate volumes, Shadowbridge is really just the first half of a longer book. It introduces the concepts and begins the story, and does a good job of both. What shines most is the setting: Shadowbridge is a world of endless bridges rising over open seas, where spans of the bridge make up cities and the spans connect into large spirals which replace continents. Men, monsters, and gods populate the bridges, living in complex and divers societies. It is a vibrant and magical setting, unlike anything else I've seen before, and it immediately captures the imagination. Leodora and her companions are a bit pale in comparison, although they too hold the reader's interest: Leodora is willful and brave and her storytelling opens the novel up to a number of stories within stories.

These stories within stories are something of a mixed blessing, however. They introduce new aspects and mythology of both Leodora and Shadowbridge, but they crowd out their framework—Leodora's underlying journey across the spans—leaving it too long undeveloped. The reader is never quite sure how the stories will connect or which are important, and without this frame of reference the plot feels uncertain and slow. It gains momentum as it goes along, and it is readable and engaging throughout, but it never dedicates enough time to Leodora's current journey. The end of the book changes dramatically, overshadowing the arrival of malicious, otherworldly powers and ending in a sharp cliffhanger—which is less of a problem now that the sequel is out, but begs the question: why was this book released in two volumes in the first place?

Shadowbridge has its faults, and as the first half of a story it is unfinished without the sequel, Lord Tophet. Nonetheless, it is a promising and intriguing beginning. The unique setting fascinates me, and Leodora and her stories is a worthy vehicle for exploring it. Frost's writing style suits the vivid grandeur and intricate detail of the setting. I have Lord Tophet waiting, and plan to continue on with it directly. I recommend Shadowbridge—fantasy readers and fans of unique fantasy worlds will enjoy it, and it certainly deserves a wider audience. However, as each slim (250 page) volume retails at $14, these may be good books to borrow rather than buy.(less)

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Jun 09, 2010

Stephen rated it

Shelves: fantasy, audiobook, 2006-2010

2.5 to 3.0 stars. This is a tough one to review because of all the "potentially" great things about this book. The problem is that, with rare exceptions, the potential was never realized.

BRIEF SYNOPSIS

The story concerns a young shadow puppeteer, Leodora, who travels the world of "Shadowbridge" performing stories for audiences based on the myths and legends of the world. Shadowbridge itself is a huge series of bridges (each span individually named and...more2.5 to 3.0 stars. This is a tough one to review because of all the "potentially" great things about this book. The problem is that, with rare exceptions, the potential was never realized.

BRIEF SYNOPSIS

The story concerns a young shadow puppeteer, Leodora, who travels the world of "Shadowbridge" performing stories for audiences based on the myths and legends of the world. Shadowbridge itself is a huge series of bridges (each span individually named and having a different culture).

THE GOOD

Gregory Frost is a good writer. His prose is elegant and descriptive. In addition, the world of Shadowbridge has the potential to be one of those memorable creations like Jack Vance's "Dying Earth" or Gene Wolfe's world from the Book of the Long Sun. Finally, myths and legends when told in the book (i.e., the stories within the story) are mostly excellent and very well done.

THE BAD

Much of what is bad in the book is directly a result of what I think was a mishandling of what is good. First, the world of Shadowbridge is only hinted at and hardly described or explored at all. Beyond a few enticing comments, there is no back story, info dumps, or explorations of this incredible creation of a world made up entirely of bridges. Second, the "stories within the story" are far to few and FAR to long in between. After the first 30 pages in which there are two myth stories and I thought the book was going to be great, there is an 80 page flashback to Leodora's childhood that is DRY, BORING AND COMPLETELY STALLS THE PLOT. After a brief advancing of the main plot, there is YET ANOTHER FLASHBACK, this one focusing on the other main character, a god-touched musician named Diverus. This flashback is shorter and more interesting, but still leaves you feeling like the plot is meandering and getting nowhere.

Now I have not read the sequeal, Lord Tophet: A Shadowbridge Novel, which I understand really should have been combined with this novel to make one complete story. Given the quality of Frost's writing and the promise of the world he has created, I will certainly read the sequel and hope that this promise is finally realized. (less)

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Mar 12, 2008

Rachel rated it

Shelves: fantasy

I can't wait for the next book! Especially for people interested in myths, this is worth the read. The main narrator, a woman who herself tells stories through puppets, is very appealing. Diverus is my second favorite, and I hope there is much more about him in the second book, if not a romantic story linking the two. The setting of the story is really creative and strange; you feel like Alice in Wonderland upon first reading the book, but then you quickly want to know more about the other s...more

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Jun 14, 2009

Wm rated it

Shelves: speculative-fiction

Intriguing world building and some excellent tales. The question is whether or not Frost can finesse the overarching story and since this is a two-part series, I'll have to read the sequel to find that out. Which I intend to do. I have to say that the tales within the tale are up to this point stronger than the frame story and the origin stories of the two key characters are inserted somewhat awkwardly. They're fairly compelling, but they break up the flow and the transition back to the main nar...more

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Aug 01, 2011

Laura rated it

Shelves: 2009, fantasy

I picked this book up because the premise intrigued me, but I didn't expect great things from the story or writing. First books in any new fantasy world always disappoint me because the author almost never has a very firm grasp of the world he or she has created. This wasn't the most solid first novel I've ever read, but I wasn't disappointed. The world Frost creates is unique and colorful, born perhaps of a desire to weave together stories with a traditional mythological flavor. With only half ...more

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Feb 24, 2009

Jocelyn rated it

Shelves: fiction, fantasy

The best thing about this book is the setting. I liked the variety of cultures between the lands that are connected by the giant bridges. The setting reminded me of Tad Williams' Otherland. At times the story was borderline creepy, but never crossed that line.

This book ends abruptly; I should've had book two on hand. I'm curious to know what happens next to the characters.

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May 25, 2009

Kater Cheek rated it

Look upon Shadowbridge, ye cookie-cutter fantasy writers, and despair. This is truly a fantastical fantasy, full of wonder and amazement and horror and filth all mixed together. It has a rather abrupt ending, so have the sequel near at hand if you dislike cliffhangers.

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Jul 20, 2010

Simone rated it

Shelves: fantasy

This was a really engrossing read. I loved the world that Frost created - the fact that it was both incredibly detailed, and yet retained an air of mystery and a dream-like quality. As is only right for a story about a storyteller, the writing made me feel as if I were watching and listening to a master spin out a tale for a rapt audience, with just the right amount of suspense, and the right details to make it all come alive.

I did think that this book and its sequel, "Lord ...more

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Jul 14, 2010

Mary Kowal rated it

This is book one, so you need to go into it prepared to commit to a series. The book ends on a serious cliffhanger. As a professional puppeteer, it was a delight to have a novel that handled puppetry so respectfully. I'm also happy to see multiple styles appear in the book. I started the sequel, Lord Tophet, right away.

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Feb 22, 2011

RUSA CODES rated it

Shelves: reading-list-2009

This was a Reading List Short List honor title in the Fantasy category for 2009. For the complete list, go to http://ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/award...

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May 21, 2009

Catherine Schaff-Stump rated it

Shelves: fantasy

A mythological collection with interesting framing and more interesting myth and legend. Skillfully mixes a variety of genres and literary traditions.

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Jun 04, 2010

Valerie rated it

Recommended to Valerie by: Vicki

Very good and very unique story about a puppeteer and how she collects stories on a world made of bridges. Just the individual stories are so interesting and well told. I am looking forward to the sequel!

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Jan 26, 2012

Meagan rated it

I must be a terrible fantasy fan, because this is the second book I've ever finished that had dragons in it. And second with elves. YEA.

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Jan 01, 2010

Isk rated it

Good story, but possibly the worst ending ever.
I also don't really understand what the world looks like.

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Feb 02, 2009

Michelle rated it

Not my favorite Sci-fi. It was interesting but overly complex. A good story line bogged down with too many side stories and not enough clarity. Characters well described but lacking in depth.

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Feb 18, 2009

Ken rated it

http://nethspace.blogspot.com/2007/12/sh...

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Apr 28, 2011

Anju rated it

Shelves: fantasy, from-library

I really enjoyed this book. It was a bit hard to get through in places because of how much terrible stuff the characters go through, but it was definitely worth it. The characters and the world that Frost creates are fascinating. The one thing I found slightly annoying was that Frost seems to like showing off his vocabulary in places, and there are certain unusual words that he's rather fond of. (Or perhaps it's that my vocabulary just isn't big enough?)

Shadowbridge is the first part...more

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Jan 07, 2009

Jackson rated it

This book was amazing n every way. The little stories included within were also great. Just the way everything is described and the way the story flows just makes wish it would never end. Reccomended 100% to everyone.

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Apr 03, 2009

Diane rated it

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

Not for young readers. Some sexual content.

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Apr 26, 2010

Florian rated it

The imaginative worldbuilding sucked me in.

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Jul 15, 2011

Jason Miller rated it

In a nutshell The story is about a girl who can tell stories (and seems to have been touched by the gods) - the tale is slowly addictive

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Fantasy

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About Gregory Frost

Gregory Frost is an American author of science fiction and fantasy, and directs a fiction writing workshop at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. He received his Bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa. A graduate of the iconic Clarion Workshop, he has been invited back as instructor several times, including the first session following its move to the University of California at ...more

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Attack of the Jazz Giants: and Other Stories

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