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Threshold
Over the hot southern land of Ashdod looms the shadow of Threshold, a massive pyramid which the Magi of Ashdod are building to propel themselves into Infinity, a plane of existence that holds the promise of technological magics and supposedly unimaginable power. For decades, thousands of slaves have lost their lives in the construction of this edifice. Now that this construction is almost complete, the Magi need only to add the finishing touches, and they will let nothing stand in the way of achieving their desire.The Master of the Magi, a young and ambitious man, ready to do anything for power, sees the glassworker slave Tirzah as a plaything, a trifle to relieve the tensions of the day. He senses that under her placid façade Tirzah is hiding something, but try as he may to see beneath her surface, she remains an enigma.What he does not know is that her secret is the knowledge of forbidden magic. That she senses the inherent power in glass and can communicate with it-and that the glass in Threshold screams to her in pain.For it knows what neither Tirzah nor any of the Magi suspect. That something waits in Infinity, watching, biding its time, and when the final glass plate is laid and the capstone cemented in blood, it plans to use Threshold to step from Infinity into Ashdod...
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1997
27 people are currently reading
1324 people want to read
About the author
Sara Douglass
65 books1,029 followersDouglass was born in Penola, South Australia. She attended Annesley College, in Wayville, a suburb of Adelaide. She studied for her BA while working as a Registered Nurse, and later completed her PhD in early modern English History. She became a lecturer in medieval history at La Trobe University, Bendigo. While there she completed her first novel, BattleAxe, which launched her as a popular fantasy author in Australia, and later as an international success.
Until the mid-2000s, Douglass hosted a bulletin board on her website, with the aim of encouraging creative thinking and constructive criticism of others' work. She maintained an online blog about the restoration project of her house and garden entitled Notes from Nonsuch in Tasmania.
In 2008, Douglass was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She underwent treatment, but in late 2010 the cancer returned. She died on 27 September 2011, aged 54.
She also wrote under her real name Sara Warneke.
Until the mid-2000s, Douglass hosted a bulletin board on her website, with the aim of encouraging creative thinking and constructive criticism of others' work. She maintained an online blog about the restoration project of her house and garden entitled Notes from Nonsuch in Tasmania.
In 2008, Douglass was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She underwent treatment, but in late 2010 the cancer returned. She died on 27 September 2011, aged 54.
She also wrote under her real name Sara Warneke.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
April 13, 2018
Threshold is officially listed as a standalone novel. However, if you ever have any intention of reading the Darkglass Mountain Trilogy by the same author, you might want to pick this one up first or have every single last plot point ruined for you.
I've never actually cracked the spine on this book, but I can tell you every major character/event/conflict in it. So, despite my better judgement, I'm marking the book as read and rating it anyway. The same goes with Behind the Hanging Wall. I wish they had been listed honestly somewhere as prequels.
As a side note, Darkglass also has major spoilers for the 6 Wayfarer/Axis books, so you might want to read those first as well. Luckily, I already had.
I've never actually cracked the spine on this book, but I can tell you every major character/event/conflict in it. So, despite my better judgement, I'm marking the book as read and rating it anyway. The same goes with Behind the Hanging Wall. I wish they had been listed honestly somewhere as prequels.
As a side note, Darkglass also has major spoilers for the 6 Wayfarer/Axis books, so you might want to read those first as well. Luckily, I already had.
March 16, 2015
one of my favorite things about Sara Douglass's work is that her protagonists are not always heroes, and things don't often work out cleanly for all involved. I know a lot of people don't like that, but to me, it's a delightful strength, because it's less predictable and more real than a lot of fantasy writing.
in this book, our heroine spends a lot of time forgiving people for pushing her around, and lamenting her own confusion, until events force her to take charge of her own fate. unfortunately, in whichever action she takes, she will inevitably betray someone-there are no easy choices.
her two love interests are equally problematic- one a kind but very hot-headed rebel leader who pressures her into becoming a spy, and the other the cruel and abusive nobleman she spies on. like the men, her mentor is mostly interested in how she can use our heroine to achieve her own ends.
and yet! it's a great book full of real people with real consequences, and deeply fascinating magic and philosophy, which is always another of her strengths.
it's not going to be everyone's favorite book, but it's one of mine. if you're up for a solid magical romp with a bit of a tangled love story, check it out.
in this book, our heroine spends a lot of time forgiving people for pushing her around, and lamenting her own confusion, until events force her to take charge of her own fate. unfortunately, in whichever action she takes, she will inevitably betray someone-there are no easy choices.
her two love interests are equally problematic- one a kind but very hot-headed rebel leader who pressures her into becoming a spy, and the other the cruel and abusive nobleman she spies on. like the men, her mentor is mostly interested in how she can use our heroine to achieve her own ends.
and yet! it's a great book full of real people with real consequences, and deeply fascinating magic and philosophy, which is always another of her strengths.
it's not going to be everyone's favorite book, but it's one of mine. if you're up for a solid magical romp with a bit of a tangled love story, check it out.
May 4, 2011
I read this book a long time ago, when I was a teenager with already a lot of fantasy under my belt. Unfortunately, that meant I didn't enjoy this book at all. Filled with cliches, blatant errors (you don't call elementalists Necromancers, you just don't, not without showing ignorance of the genre and/or disrespecting your readers).
The core romantic relationship in this book is (unintentionally) based around Stockholm Syndrome, and there really isn't anything surprising in here. Sorry, can't please everyone.
The core romantic relationship in this book is (unintentionally) based around Stockholm Syndrome, and there really isn't anything surprising in here. Sorry, can't please everyone.
January 12, 2020
I'm not sure that I want to read this anymore. In the Kindle sample, the main character and her father are enslaved, because her father's drinking, gambling, etc. has landed them in debt. However, our heroine blames herself, because when the guards or whatever broke in to arrest her, she dropped the vase she was working on, which was apparently so fine that it could've paid off all their debts. She's so damn passive that she isn't angry at her father AT ALL, even though the bastard has effectively ruined her life. She BLAMES HERSELF. Later on, our heroine is raped by the man who purchases her, and she thinks to herself that she deserved it because she dropped the vase, and doesn't hate her rapist at all.
So unless this book magically gets better and less offensive as it goes, I won't be reading it.
So unless this book magically gets better and less offensive as it goes, I won't be reading it.
August 16, 2012
Strong start. Terrible middle. Blech ending. I really liked the initial concept of the story and the main character was interesting... And then it went off the rails into this ridiculous Stockholm syndrome relationship and the main character lost all integrity as an interesting heroine. In fact she became a very weak narrator and flimsy lame damsel. Boo.
May 7, 2014
It was all right. The main character started really bugging me about halfway through the book. I just couldn't handle I feel that the story could have been told just as well with Isphet being the main character. I liked her much better. But either way, the book did not need to be as long as it was.
I did like the interesting information about glassmaking, and the magic systems.
I did like the interesting information about glassmaking, and the magic systems.
May 8, 2009
Okay, a three point five.
Never really connected with the protagonist.
Too many plot crises solved too easily...and too soon. The first half of the book should have been edited to half it's length.
Never really connected with the protagonist.
Too many plot crises solved too easily...and too soon. The first half of the book should have been edited to half it's length.
February 12, 2008
I love this book. It is worth reading and has some interesting things to say on the number one. Makes math look like fun ha ha
March 8, 2025
I first read this almost 20 years ago and decided to give it a re-read to see if it was an insane as I remember
It was
3.5 stars rounded up~
It was
3.5 stars rounded up~
May 12, 2023
This was my favorite book of all the books in this series because it was written from a first person POV. Tirzah is strong female character who didn’t let becoming a slave destroy her. She shares her feelings and emotions honestly, even her guilt and shame.
The One reminds me of the Catholic Church when it had a stranglehold on Europe. The Magi rule the entire country of Ashdod with a singular obsession to building Threshold. They selfishly focus on increasing their power despite the harm this causes the people of Ashdod, especially the Elementals.
Read this book before starting the Darkglass Mountain series, as it will help you understand the magic Maximilian Persimius controls, as well as the entity escaping from the pyramid.
The One reminds me of the Catholic Church when it had a stranglehold on Europe. The Magi rule the entire country of Ashdod with a singular obsession to building Threshold. They selfishly focus on increasing their power despite the harm this causes the people of Ashdod, especially the Elementals.
Read this book before starting the Darkglass Mountain series, as it will help you understand the magic Maximilian Persimius controls, as well as the entity escaping from the pyramid.
March 25, 2011
It was an okay book. The first half was really good and exciting. I really loved the Tirzah - Yaqob - Boaz love triangle. The plot was also exciting. I was really anticipating what evil lurks in Threshold. But after Tirzah and Boaz got together and the evil from Threshold was released everything went downhill. The second part was kind of boring. I wished it was shortened by the author. A lot of unnecessary and silly stuff like the Fetizzah. It was really weird. Also the author made use of a lot of deus ex machina using Fetizzah. Maybe editing the second part would make the story better. A little mystery is also good. This is for mature readers who also loves young adult fantasy books.
October 21, 2017
I loved this book
Her imagery is just amazing. Which is one thing I love about her writing. Enough detail to paint the picture but the freedoms for your imagination to fill in the gaps. She created a world with something new yet It felt that I could so easily have been a part of this world.
A hard to put down book
Her imagery is just amazing. Which is one thing I love about her writing. Enough detail to paint the picture but the freedoms for your imagination to fill in the gaps. She created a world with something new yet It felt that I could so easily have been a part of this world.
A hard to put down book
December 16, 2018
Ok I'm being generous and giving it four stars for nostalgia's sake. I read this as a teen and enjoyed it. Read it as an adult and it was ok. The relationship (even though I like it) goes a little too quickly from "I hate you" to "I forgive everything you've done and you are wonderful". It tells you that she falls in love without really showing how. There were some serious plot holes as well.
Among other holes I've forgotten. Plus, the second half was mediocre. It's like she wanted to create this weird relationship and then just had to finished what she'd started.
Among other holes I've forgotten. Plus, the second half was mediocre. It's like she wanted to create this weird relationship and then just had to finished what she'd started.
May 30, 2022
{Possible spoilers ahead.} Using numerology as the basis of magic was a pretty unique trope in my opinion. I don't think I have come across such a concept before and I *have* read quite a lot of fanatsy books. For that alone, I'd recommend this book. The Egyptian mythological feel/ settings in this book was also quite well done, and in some ways, the book reminded me of Jemisin's The Shadowed Sun.
However, the book vacillates between being very realistic (even uncomfortably so) about the conditions of slaves or marginalized groups, and overly melodramatic in the romantic angst. Overall, while this book can be read as a standalone (which is a huge plus), you have to go in remembering that it can be a bit "old school".
However, the book vacillates between being very realistic (even uncomfortably so) about the conditions of slaves or marginalized groups, and overly melodramatic in the romantic angst. Overall, while this book can be read as a standalone (which is a huge plus), you have to go in remembering that it can be a bit "old school".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2021
This is an incredibly vivid world full of the nuances that I am used to from Brandon Sanderson’s ‘Mistborn.’ The system of magic used herein is remarkably full thought out and well world-built.
I gave this book 5 stars because I did not have the option to give it a 4.9. The only part that I did not enjoy was how abruptly the ending was reached. It feels like the author just got tired of the story because the final battle is so sparse. (This sentence is why I said spoilers) Otherwise it was a wonderful book! Plus I loved that it was a l stand-alone!
I gave this book 5 stars because I did not have the option to give it a 4.9. The only part that I did not enjoy was how abruptly the ending was reached. It feels like the author just got tired of the story because the final battle is so sparse. (This sentence is why I said spoilers) Otherwise it was a wonderful book! Plus I loved that it was a l stand-alone!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2023
I rarely rate a book I didn't finish, especially one I didn't even finish 2 chapters of, but I don't feel at all guilty about it in this case. The book begins with our protagonist knocking over a vase while being sold into slavery. It then details her extraordinarily cruel transport to a big city where there's a major slave auction. She is then raped by the owner of the auction. While being raped she thinks about how she completely deserves this for knocking over that vase. I'm done. Can't think of a single reason to keep reading this.
January 26, 2022
Hard book to review. It's a prequel but I didn't know this when I started. Immediately engaging, but has a Stockholm Syndrome relationship that is rapey.
However an amazing description of something unknown and alien. Creepy and mysterious done really well, and the plot definitely suprised me, and a few chapters shocked me. Bonus points for the violence being conveyed well but also very briefly.
However an amazing description of something unknown and alien. Creepy and mysterious done really well, and the plot definitely suprised me, and a few chapters shocked me. Bonus points for the violence being conveyed well but also very briefly.
January 30, 2025
This is a really good fantasy read and for me the first of Sara Douglass' novels. I liked how it had an ancient Egyptian feel to it and enjoyed the originality of the plot. What I didn't like was how as part of the story the heroine was romantically and cosmically paired with a character who was her abuser at the beginning (due to being under control of evil), however perhaps this is the novel showing it's vintage a little bit. Anyhow, I don't think this plot device aged well.
July 14, 2019
5 Stars
Threshold by Sara Douglass is a really wonderful epic fantasy, with incredible world building, well crafted characters, adventure, magic, drama, good vs evil, pyramids, slaves, Magi, danger, and a completely intriguing storyline. One of my favourites of Ms. Douglass’ work.
Well worth the read!
Happy Reading!
Threshold by Sara Douglass is a really wonderful epic fantasy, with incredible world building, well crafted characters, adventure, magic, drama, good vs evil, pyramids, slaves, Magi, danger, and a completely intriguing storyline. One of my favourites of Ms. Douglass’ work.
Well worth the read!
Happy Reading!
August 9, 2019
Sara reached out to the universe and created a story of epic fantasy with Threshold. With characters that clutch at your heart in their moments of pain and anguish it’s impossible to put this read down. A true master of her craft I suggest this book for readers who love a story that stays in their head long after they’ve finished the text.
August 2, 2020
Yet another epic story! After reading The Wayfarer Redemption series, I was happy to give this one a try. It's a stand-alone so no worries about where it falls in a series. It does have several parallels with the Redemption series, but it is a great story in its own right. Go ahead! Read it. You're welcome!
May 19, 2020
This was one of my favorite books as a teenager, rereading it as an adult was a bit of a letdown. Definitely some Stockholm syndrome going on. Also the speed of the book is very inconsistent, I feel like it takes ages for it to get going and then it gets really good and then fizzles out about halfway through. I enjoyed most of the characters though and appreciated the lack of a cliche fairytale ending.
June 28, 2023
One of the best fantasy books I have ever read. Not quite an alternative earth history, but it reminded me strongly of Scandinavia and ancient Egypt. It is a standalone book, not part of any of Miss Douglass’ other fantasy series. The world lost a great author, when she passed in 2011.
October 25, 2023
It's been a few years since I've read this book. But it has stuck with me for the last 5 years. This book introduced me into the glass making process. It got me interested in watching how glass was blown and made it also got me interested in angst type romance.
September 3, 2018
I loved this book. It is my first read by Sara Douglass by it will definitely not be my last.
October 7, 2018
Loved this. Will be looking for more books by her.
March 30, 2019
Too long..and the romance is slightly questionable even by my standards. I don't know if I would be able to love a guy like Boaz. Probably not.
May 8, 2019
One of the best fantasy novels I have ever read!
August 9, 2020
This is a re read. I used to read this book once a year but hadn't read it in probably 6 years at this point. Its one of my faves and absolutely my fave from Sara. It made me miss her so much.
January 6, 2021
It was delightful, but the pacing was off in some places and I struggled with some of the characters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews