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DarkGlass Mountain #2
The Twisted Citadel
Tencendor is no more. The land is gone. But a few SunSoars remain, and a new foe walks the world.
In a time of magic and danger, three new heroes have stepped forward—Ishbel Brunelle, priestess of the Serpent Coil; Isaiah, the Tyrant of Isembaard; and Maximilian, the Lord of Elcho Falling. Yet despite their best efforts, the Dark God Kanubai has risen. And worse yet, war approaches—backed by the evil, insidious DarkGlass Mountain, hordes of insatiable Skraelings ravage the land.
While the trio struggles to keep its armies and alliances alive, the SunSoars have their own challenges, including the chance to rejoin the magical Star Dance at long last, and the appearance of the Lealfast, long-lost kin to the Icarii. The Lealfast and the Icarii may be friends . . . or deadly enemies. And as tensions rise between the two races, Axis SunSoar revives his elite Strike Force in a desperate bid to stop the darkness.
In a time of magic and danger, three new heroes have stepped forward—Ishbel Brunelle, priestess of the Serpent Coil; Isaiah, the Tyrant of Isembaard; and Maximilian, the Lord of Elcho Falling. Yet despite their best efforts, the Dark God Kanubai has risen. And worse yet, war approaches—backed by the evil, insidious DarkGlass Mountain, hordes of insatiable Skraelings ravage the land.
While the trio struggles to keep its armies and alliances alive, the SunSoars have their own challenges, including the chance to rejoin the magical Star Dance at long last, and the appearance of the Lealfast, long-lost kin to the Icarii. The Lealfast and the Icarii may be friends . . . or deadly enemies. And as tensions rise between the two races, Axis SunSoar revives his elite Strike Force in a desperate bid to stop the darkness.
562 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 6, 2008
44 people are currently reading
1033 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 65 reviews
August 18, 2017
Reading Twisted Citadel provoked a lot of nostalgia for how much I enjoyed Sara Douglass’ Wayfarer Redemption series. As it turns out, The Darkglass Mountain trilogy is an indirect continuation, something I wish I’d known – I’d have devoured it ages ago! I quite enjoyed The Serpent Bride – the first book in this trilogy, but Twisted Citadel dragged a little bit for me. There was a lot of talk and interpersonal drama, but the overall conflict only moved forward a few paces. I’m always weirdly engaged in these books even though the pacing is often sluggish – but there always seems to be enough moving parts and dynamics to keep me interested, which is why I ended up giving Twisted Citadel a 3 star (I liked it) rating. What kept me engaged in this one was the amount of character growth Ishbel, the main character, experienced (it might have been a little too 180 to be totally realistic, but I still enjoyed it). I also like where I think the story is headed, which bodes well for the final book, The Infinity Gate.
I’m no military strategist, by any means, but I’d like to think I’ve read enough fantasy books with militaristic components to recognize when it’s done well. Unfortunately, I thought the strategy in Twisted Citadel was very poorly executed. A lot of the decisions made by the leaders didn’t make any sense. Many times the explanation to an odd move was: “well, it’s not a typical tactic, and I’ve no presentation to make to tell you why it’s a good idea, but let’s try it anyway and gamble with the last remnants of humanity and see how it goes, shall we?” It was definitely written more to get the characters from point A to point B than to provide any kind of interesting tactics. While there are a lot of things I’d recommend this series for, masterfully coordinated battles are not one of them. I think the author was more focused on the interpersonal drama than anything else, which she definitely does with flair.
It was only after diving into this trilogy that I realized many of Sara Douglass’s books are connected. I prefer reading things in published, if not chronological, order and wish I had known which to pick up first. If you’re interested in Sara Douglass, I’d recommend the following reading order:
Wayfarer Redemption [6]
Threshold [1]
Beyond the Hanging Wall [1]
Dark glass Mountain [3]
Darkglass Mountain contains heavy spoilers for Threshold and Beyond the Hanging Wall, but also refers back occasionally to Wayfarer Redemption in a way that makes me glad I picked those up first. There is also one carryover character from Wayfarer Redemption who won’t have any significance to you if you haven’t read that series first. At this point I don’t believe her Crucible or Troy Game series have anything to do with this world, but I’ve been mistaken before…
Overall, I’m very excited to see how this saga ends. They’re the type of books that you can put down for years and pick back up without missing a beat. They’re very immersive, relaxing reads that have a lot of unique and interesting story elements. While Sara Douglass is not my first fantasy recommend, I definitely think she’s worth a looksie if you like the genre.
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like:
I’m no military strategist, by any means, but I’d like to think I’ve read enough fantasy books with militaristic components to recognize when it’s done well. Unfortunately, I thought the strategy in Twisted Citadel was very poorly executed. A lot of the decisions made by the leaders didn’t make any sense. Many times the explanation to an odd move was: “well, it’s not a typical tactic, and I’ve no presentation to make to tell you why it’s a good idea, but let’s try it anyway and gamble with the last remnants of humanity and see how it goes, shall we?” It was definitely written more to get the characters from point A to point B than to provide any kind of interesting tactics. While there are a lot of things I’d recommend this series for, masterfully coordinated battles are not one of them. I think the author was more focused on the interpersonal drama than anything else, which she definitely does with flair.
It was only after diving into this trilogy that I realized many of Sara Douglass’s books are connected. I prefer reading things in published, if not chronological, order and wish I had known which to pick up first. If you’re interested in Sara Douglass, I’d recommend the following reading order:
Wayfarer Redemption [6]
Threshold [1]
Beyond the Hanging Wall [1]
Dark glass Mountain [3]
Darkglass Mountain contains heavy spoilers for Threshold and Beyond the Hanging Wall, but also refers back occasionally to Wayfarer Redemption in a way that makes me glad I picked those up first. There is also one carryover character from Wayfarer Redemption who won’t have any significance to you if you haven’t read that series first. At this point I don’t believe her Crucible or Troy Game series have anything to do with this world, but I’ve been mistaken before…
Overall, I’m very excited to see how this saga ends. They’re the type of books that you can put down for years and pick back up without missing a beat. They’re very immersive, relaxing reads that have a lot of unique and interesting story elements. While Sara Douglass is not my first fantasy recommend, I definitely think she’s worth a looksie if you like the genre.
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like:
August 22, 2009
My feelings about this book are about the same as those I had for The Serpent Bride. I was unable to put it down, so I must have at least liked it, but I still find myself disappointed with the writing.
This one took significantly longer to get anywhere (I thought Maximilian and his army would be traveling and setting up camp and taking down camp and traveling forever), but the plodding narrative allowed me to finally identify what bothers me about the DarkGlass Mountain books.
a) The writing is different, lazier, than Douglass's earlier works. It makes everything seem rushed and forcibly plot-driven. Characters, even the well-known and beloved ones from other books, fall flat somehow. The edge, the storyteller's gift, that Douglass shows in The Troy Game and in most of Wayfarer Redemption is missing.
b) Axis overshadows everyone, even Maximilian, who is supposed to be the hero of this series. I understand his usefulness as a war leader and a veteran of battles with the Skraelings (who have also returned), but I still don't know why Douglass felt the need to bring him back. I was sick of him long before the ending of book six of Wayfarer Redemption and had hoped that his father, StarDrifter, would finally be the prominent SunSoar. No such luck.
c) The DarkGlass Mountain series takes place in the lands to the south and east of what was once Tencendor, the realm of Wayfarer Redemption, so it is understandable that its people would have heard of Axis. However, his fame as StarMan is so strong it becomes unbelievable when you think that although Drago was Tencendor's most recent and final hero, he is never mentioned or thought of by any of the characters. Not even Axis, his own father.
d) Kanubai. He was originally set up as the ultimate evil that Maximilian would have to defeat, but then, suddenly, the entity called the One destroys Kanubai and becomes the ULTIMATER evil. It's just too much. Why bother with Kanubai in the first place?
So, why the three stars? Because, despite all of this, I still could not put the book down. I still cared about what happened to the characters. I still got angry when things went wrong. I still wanted to strangle Ravenna with my own hands. I was still emotionally involved with the story, even though so many things bothered me, and even though the writing made me wince more than once. It's a good story, but I have a feeling it can only be appreciated by people who fell in love with Tencendor and all its wonders. I'm committed to StarDrifter, and even Axis, because I'm attached to where they come from, and I know what they have lost. I have to see where their story finally ends. And I suspect that is why I couldn't put The Twisted Citadel down.
This one took significantly longer to get anywhere (I thought Maximilian and his army would be traveling and setting up camp and taking down camp and traveling forever), but the plodding narrative allowed me to finally identify what bothers me about the DarkGlass Mountain books.
a) The writing is different, lazier, than Douglass's earlier works. It makes everything seem rushed and forcibly plot-driven. Characters, even the well-known and beloved ones from other books, fall flat somehow. The edge, the storyteller's gift, that Douglass shows in The Troy Game and in most of Wayfarer Redemption is missing.
b) Axis overshadows everyone, even Maximilian, who is supposed to be the hero of this series. I understand his usefulness as a war leader and a veteran of battles with the Skraelings (who have also returned), but I still don't know why Douglass felt the need to bring him back. I was sick of him long before the ending of book six of Wayfarer Redemption and had hoped that his father, StarDrifter, would finally be the prominent SunSoar. No such luck.
c) The DarkGlass Mountain series takes place in the lands to the south and east of what was once Tencendor, the realm of Wayfarer Redemption, so it is understandable that its people would have heard of Axis. However, his fame as StarMan is so strong it becomes unbelievable when you think that although Drago was Tencendor's most recent and final hero, he is never mentioned or thought of by any of the characters. Not even Axis, his own father.
d) Kanubai. He was originally set up as the ultimate evil that Maximilian would have to defeat, but then, suddenly, the entity called the One destroys Kanubai and becomes the ULTIMATER evil. It's just too much. Why bother with Kanubai in the first place?
So, why the three stars? Because, despite all of this, I still could not put the book down. I still cared about what happened to the characters. I still got angry when things went wrong. I still wanted to strangle Ravenna with my own hands. I was still emotionally involved with the story, even though so many things bothered me, and even though the writing made me wince more than once. It's a good story, but I have a feeling it can only be appreciated by people who fell in love with Tencendor and all its wonders. I'm committed to StarDrifter, and even Axis, because I'm attached to where they come from, and I know what they have lost. I have to see where their story finally ends. And I suspect that is why I couldn't put The Twisted Citadel down.
May 19, 2023
Writing style at the beginning of the book is slightly obtuse. Parked it in the bathroom to read a bit at a time. About 1/2 way through either I got used to it or the storyline became more interesting. Good read overall. Will be looking for another book to read by this author.
August 9, 2025
I did not care for this book. We were in war-limbo the. entire. book. It didn't get good until the end when they finally made it to Elcho Falling and then things escalated and got resolved very quickly. I was so pleasantly surprised by the first book but this book was a big let down. I like a lot of the ideas in this world, but I don't think I'll be continuing this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2017
WHEW! Big sigh of relief! Not nearly the disaster it could have been! So I'm still really irritated by her new liberal use of f**k and also there was an abysmal lack of StarDrifter in this book. Seriously I know Axis was the hero once but he's totally a washed up has been. Mostly it's that he's just not as exciting as he used to be I really just don't care what he's thinking about StarDrifter on the other hand really want to be in his head....didn't get to.
Ok now that I've ranted a little, aside from the slow start which was odd there were some CLASSIC Sara Douglass bits in there! Which was so nice to see after the last book. The bad guy is all pretty and funny now. And that kitty pretty sweet! Also Lister is making my brain hurt in the fun good mysterious character sort of way. There were a of couple good surprises and the thing with the rat I'm super excited to see what happens with that b/c that's seriously old school Sara Douglass. The hardest thing about this series is while there are characters that I love and want to live I just don't care about this land the way I cared about Tencendor and she already killed that dead so I'm a little ambivalent to end of the world threats. Still gonna read the next book though ;)
Ok now that I've ranted a little, aside from the slow start which was odd there were some CLASSIC Sara Douglass bits in there! Which was so nice to see after the last book. The bad guy is all pretty and funny now. And that kitty pretty sweet! Also Lister is making my brain hurt in the fun good mysterious character sort of way. There were a of couple good surprises and the thing with the rat I'm super excited to see what happens with that b/c that's seriously old school Sara Douglass. The hardest thing about this series is while there are characters that I love and want to live I just don't care about this land the way I cared about Tencendor and she already killed that dead so I'm a little ambivalent to end of the world threats. Still gonna read the next book though ;)
August 27, 2010
The slightly-cliched plot thickens... and thickens... and as it does it gets slower and slower. And yet the writing in this epic fantasy trilogy continues to be top-notch, and the final image of the lost citadel rising, shining and majestic, out of thin air is gorgeous and more than a little cinematic--I think I'll stick around for the third and final book.
August 21, 2018
Enjoyed this! After starting a few books and being restless, this was the perfect antidote, a great story with plenty of twists, turns and drama, bad guys, good guys, and all shades of grey in between! Characters seemed more human and vulnerable to jealousy and all the emotions and actions that stem from such violent feelings. A fantastic read x
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November 30, 201530 November 2015: $3.99 on Kindle
July 14, 2019
5 Stars
The Twisted Citadel is the second book in the DarkGlass Mountain series by Sara Douglass. Part of my 2019 reading challenge was to read an Australian author- well how do I narrow that down, there are so many great Aussie authors, but Ms. Douglass was one of the first Aussie authors whose work I fell in love with. I have devoured everything she had ever written and was devastated when she lost her battle with cancer back in 2011. Her books really stuck with me over time, and I don’t revisit them as often as I’d like. The last few months have been emotionally draining for me, and I really wanted/needed to lose myself in another world- so I chose to revisit some old favourites that have a comforting nostalgia associated with them. I couldn’t choose just one of her books, they are all great, and quite a few of them are interconnected- so I chose to read them all.
The DarkGlass Mountain Series books are:
-The Serpent Bride (Book One)
-The Twisted Citadel (Book Two)
-The Infinity Gate (Book Three)
I still love this series as much as I did the first time I read it. It is an epic fantasy interwoven with danger, intrigue, sorcery, adventure, action, drama, magic, and so much more. Ms. Douglass weaves her stories quite masterfully, crafting a truly believable and sumptuous world in which to set her story. Her attention to detail brings her world and story to life.
This book/series is a spin-off to The Wayfarer Redemption series, bringing the same epic ‘feel’ of those stories, together with characters we know and love (or hate)- as well as introducing new characters and fascinating storylines. It is a totally different timeline and setting to the original series but set in the same ‘world’.
You don’t need to have read The Wayfarer Redemption series to enjoy this one- but I recommend that you do as there are cross-over characters who appear in this story and by having read the first series, it will allow you a richer reading experience of this book/series.
Epic fantasy done well!
Happy Reading!
The Twisted Citadel is the second book in the DarkGlass Mountain series by Sara Douglass. Part of my 2019 reading challenge was to read an Australian author- well how do I narrow that down, there are so many great Aussie authors, but Ms. Douglass was one of the first Aussie authors whose work I fell in love with. I have devoured everything she had ever written and was devastated when she lost her battle with cancer back in 2011. Her books really stuck with me over time, and I don’t revisit them as often as I’d like. The last few months have been emotionally draining for me, and I really wanted/needed to lose myself in another world- so I chose to revisit some old favourites that have a comforting nostalgia associated with them. I couldn’t choose just one of her books, they are all great, and quite a few of them are interconnected- so I chose to read them all.
The DarkGlass Mountain Series books are:
-The Serpent Bride (Book One)
-The Twisted Citadel (Book Two)
-The Infinity Gate (Book Three)
I still love this series as much as I did the first time I read it. It is an epic fantasy interwoven with danger, intrigue, sorcery, adventure, action, drama, magic, and so much more. Ms. Douglass weaves her stories quite masterfully, crafting a truly believable and sumptuous world in which to set her story. Her attention to detail brings her world and story to life.
This book/series is a spin-off to The Wayfarer Redemption series, bringing the same epic ‘feel’ of those stories, together with characters we know and love (or hate)- as well as introducing new characters and fascinating storylines. It is a totally different timeline and setting to the original series but set in the same ‘world’.
You don’t need to have read The Wayfarer Redemption series to enjoy this one- but I recommend that you do as there are cross-over characters who appear in this story and by having read the first series, it will allow you a richer reading experience of this book/series.
Epic fantasy done well!
Happy Reading!
July 8, 2018
I kind of wanted to dropkick Maxel for most of this.
Fucking Ravenna (literally and figuratively.) I hate her so much and I hope that curse is even worse that what was said but who the hell knows.
It's a little bit annoying how "super powerful" everyone is -> although kudos to Sara Douglass for making literally an entire ~book of an army traveling so fascinating.
THAT KITTEN BETTER NOT BE EVIL I WILL BE SO FURIOUS
I love how Ishbel comes into herself but it is a bit annoying how traumatic her visions of the Lord of Elcho Falling were and then to have it kinda sputter out like that.
>.> I also wish she'd have found a someone else for a bit cuz fuck Maxel.
And Axis I want to just SHAKE too. Idiot.
Then there's some of the horror that just ... is glossed over like holy shit with the children dying and just "NBD" O_o ... [again I skimmed most of the baddies.]
C cuz 2 days for this book => very compelling - I even read it at court
Fucking Ravenna (literally and figuratively.) I hate her so much and I hope that curse is even worse that what was said but who the hell knows.
It's a little bit annoying how "super powerful" everyone is -> although kudos to Sara Douglass for making literally an entire ~book of an army traveling so fascinating.
THAT KITTEN BETTER NOT BE EVIL I WILL BE SO FURIOUS
I love how Ishbel comes into herself but it is a bit annoying how traumatic her visions of the Lord of Elcho Falling were and then to have it kinda sputter out like that.
>.> I also wish she'd have found a someone else for a bit cuz fuck Maxel.
And Axis I want to just SHAKE too. Idiot.
Then there's some of the horror that just ... is glossed over like holy shit with the children dying and just "NBD" O_o ... [again I skimmed most of the baddies.]
C cuz 2 days for this book => very compelling - I even read it at court
December 20, 2017
This was much better than the first book of the trilogy
Not a whole lot really happened, as is very common for a middle novel but it is obvious we are building to an epic conclusion
I likes Ishbel and Maxel much more in this one as they started taking more control and acting less like pawns to the whims of others
Loved the world building and found the enemy to be an intriguing new addition
Without wishing to spoil I loved the curses Ishbel used at the end of the book and I can't wait to see how they come to fruition in the next book
Not a whole lot really happened, as is very common for a middle novel but it is obvious we are building to an epic conclusion
I likes Ishbel and Maxel much more in this one as they started taking more control and acting less like pawns to the whims of others
Loved the world building and found the enemy to be an intriguing new addition
Without wishing to spoil I loved the curses Ishbel used at the end of the book and I can't wait to see how they come to fruition in the next book
March 31, 2020
Again it is a masterfully woven tale by Douglass; continuing and broadening the world of Axis into yet a hitherto unknown, to the reader at least, part of the lost land of Tencendor. New and old characters mix and struggle again against an old yet new threat to life as lived. Great!
June 27, 2024
I hammered through this one.
You really get the sense rather than being a middle child that this book is actually pointing towards something and the author has a clear idea of where they are going.
You really get the sense rather than being a middle child that this book is actually pointing towards something and the author has a clear idea of where they are going.
November 20, 2017
Omg I thought the first was great but it only gets better. I don’t usually speed read through books but I did with this one finished it two days. It was great!!!
April 8, 2019
Come on, Sara. You are killing me.
December 2, 2019
Fantasy at his best!!!!Love this book
Starting number 3...
Starting number 3...
December 3, 2019
Sara Douglass is too much of a genius. Beautifully written, perfectly balanced. True talent.
January 24, 2020
This one was better than the first!! So much going on, but it flows! So many great characters!
Read
October 25, 2021I wish the author was still around and could continue expanding characters, locations, etc...
November 12, 2024
Enjoying what the story is moving towards
June 1, 2025
Too long and extremely annoying at times (Ravenna).
October 6, 2010
I have been debating whether to wait and post this once the entire series is completed or to post it now, and have decided that I want my opinion on this series know before the trilogy comes to an end. So without further ado:
The Serpent Bride and The Twisted Citadel by Sara Douglass are part of the DarkGlass Mountain series which takes Ms. Douglass other series, the Wayfarer Redemption, and two stand-alone novels, Beyond the Hanging Wall and Threshold, and combines them into one story. I had no knowledge of this when I started reading this series, but was not disappointed in the slightest for not having read the other books and knowing the back story of them.
I first have to say that these books are not for kids or teenagers. These books are dark fantasy with adult themes and immoral scenes in this series which were hard to overlook. All that aside, Ms. Douglass does an excellent job of world-building and writing with the ability to keep a multitude of characters straight and a very complex plot-line with a ton of foreshadowing.
The series begins with Ishbel and her family being killed by a plague. She is left in the house to die, but is rescued by a kind soul who takes her to the Serpent's Nest where she is trained as an archpriestess of the Order of the Coil, a religious group who worships the Great Serpent (the god of light or the god of water -- I can't remember which one it is). Ishbel has a vision that in order to save the world, she needs to marry Maximilian Persimius, king of Escator. She doesn't want to, but follows the wished of her god. Their relationship is strained because Ishbel lies about who and what she is and Max does not tell the entire truth about himself either, for he is actually the Lord of Elcho Falling, the decendent of a the line of magicians that saved the world by locking Kanubai (chaos) way for eternity. However, Kanubai is working on escaping his prison and is close to pushing through the Darkglass Mountain. Isaiah (one of the gods who sometimes appears as a frog) is watching over Darkglass Mountain and brings Axis Sunsoar to the world of the living to help in commanding the armies that Isaiah has gathered to re-establish the Lord of Elcho Falling and defeat Kanubai. Isaiah has Ishbel kidnapped and teaches her about her heritage, survives an assassination attempt and then heads with his army to meet the Lord of Elcho Falling and crown him king.
We meet the Lealfast in this mix who are a cross race bread of creature that appear to be loyal to Kanubai and the magic of Darkglass Mountain, but who are helping Lister and (in a round about way, Isaiah). Kanubai returns (by using Ishbel and taking her baby) but is taken over by the magic of Darkglass Mountain and becomes the One and moves the Skrealings against Max and Ishbel, there are a bunch of battles, where people die and the world is upset. Max restores Elcho Falling, but is not sure quite what power he has because the tower of memory is fairly empty. A man trapped is an idol is released and helps Max remember the items in the tower...
Okay, that is probably about enough plot for a bit. The characters can be a bit shallow--I got really tired of Ishbel and Max fighting about their marriage and how it is build on a foundation of secrets. I sometime think that people don't communicate ever! The books were very well written and ended very suspenseful with the Lealfast letting the One into Elcho Falling, Max being on his deathbed, and a mysterious cat at the memory tower.
You'll just have to read it for yourself but as I said before, be prepared for some adult themes and a very dark fantasy.
The Serpent Bride and The Twisted Citadel by Sara Douglass are part of the DarkGlass Mountain series which takes Ms. Douglass other series, the Wayfarer Redemption, and two stand-alone novels, Beyond the Hanging Wall and Threshold, and combines them into one story. I had no knowledge of this when I started reading this series, but was not disappointed in the slightest for not having read the other books and knowing the back story of them.
I first have to say that these books are not for kids or teenagers. These books are dark fantasy with adult themes and immoral scenes in this series which were hard to overlook. All that aside, Ms. Douglass does an excellent job of world-building and writing with the ability to keep a multitude of characters straight and a very complex plot-line with a ton of foreshadowing.
The series begins with Ishbel and her family being killed by a plague. She is left in the house to die, but is rescued by a kind soul who takes her to the Serpent's Nest where she is trained as an archpriestess of the Order of the Coil, a religious group who worships the Great Serpent (the god of light or the god of water -- I can't remember which one it is). Ishbel has a vision that in order to save the world, she needs to marry Maximilian Persimius, king of Escator. She doesn't want to, but follows the wished of her god. Their relationship is strained because Ishbel lies about who and what she is and Max does not tell the entire truth about himself either, for he is actually the Lord of Elcho Falling, the decendent of a the line of magicians that saved the world by locking Kanubai (chaos) way for eternity. However, Kanubai is working on escaping his prison and is close to pushing through the Darkglass Mountain. Isaiah (one of the gods who sometimes appears as a frog) is watching over Darkglass Mountain and brings Axis Sunsoar to the world of the living to help in commanding the armies that Isaiah has gathered to re-establish the Lord of Elcho Falling and defeat Kanubai. Isaiah has Ishbel kidnapped and teaches her about her heritage, survives an assassination attempt and then heads with his army to meet the Lord of Elcho Falling and crown him king.
We meet the Lealfast in this mix who are a cross race bread of creature that appear to be loyal to Kanubai and the magic of Darkglass Mountain, but who are helping Lister and (in a round about way, Isaiah). Kanubai returns (by using Ishbel and taking her baby) but is taken over by the magic of Darkglass Mountain and becomes the One and moves the Skrealings against Max and Ishbel, there are a bunch of battles, where people die and the world is upset. Max restores Elcho Falling, but is not sure quite what power he has because the tower of memory is fairly empty. A man trapped is an idol is released and helps Max remember the items in the tower...
Okay, that is probably about enough plot for a bit. The characters can be a bit shallow--I got really tired of Ishbel and Max fighting about their marriage and how it is build on a foundation of secrets. I sometime think that people don't communicate ever! The books were very well written and ended very suspenseful with the Lealfast letting the One into Elcho Falling, Max being on his deathbed, and a mysterious cat at the memory tower.
You'll just have to read it for yourself but as I said before, be prepared for some adult themes and a very dark fantasy.
January 19, 2014
♦ What I Liked: I simply cannot imagine anybody claiming that this tale started out slow, or even bogged down in any part of the book. The balance of this book and series so far blows me away. The tension is steady, obstacles are overcome but always seem to come at a price which creates a new obstacle. Surprises abound. Just when you are sure that Soandso is one type person, they turn into someone completely different. Just when you think you have a handle on a situation, it turns out you could not have been more wrong. But, no matter what, the light at the end of the tunnel almost always turns out to be an impending disaster. Ever catch yourself rocking your chair, swinging your foot, chewing your hair, biting your nails or whatever it is you do when you are anxious? Yeah, this is that kinda book.
♦ What I didn't like: The character development is off the charts. They fret, they worry, they make mistakes, they switch loyalty, they try to make amends and they screw it up. However sometimes a few important details get lost in the mix. They move forward so fast that things get left behind that I don't think realistically should have been. Sometimes the characters are a bit too focused on moving ahead while the things and responsibilities they left behind apparently vanish into obscurity. And I'm not talking little things, I mean like a King who totally deserts his kingdom, seemingly without another thought.
Now don't get me wrong, this took some time. He looked back for a short while but over time he just seemed to stop caring and took a stance of "oh well, I guess they can fend for themselves, I have more important things to do with my time." -- Really? What King does that to a realm he claimed to care so much about at the beginning? Not a big flaw considering how great the characterization and pace are as a rule, but it nagged at me. I did get a chuckle out of it though. Another character called him on it during an argument. It was glossed over but it let me know that the author was well aware of the hole in the story.
♦ Conclusion: No sign of "middle book" syndrome here. As with book one this is a fun, fast paced, multilayered, dark, complex epic fantasy with thrills, chills and a classic struggle of good versus evil. But the most fascinating part of this fantasy is the layers. There are layers of evil, just as there are layers of good. And there are gray levels in the middle; races and people who could (and do) go either way. Choices are offered and either refused or taken. Some are the right choice, some are wrong but the path taken often completely changes the direction of the story. I loved every minute of it and greatly look forward to the conclusion.
Originally posted @ Dragons, Heroes and Wizards
♦ What I didn't like: The character development is off the charts. They fret, they worry, they make mistakes, they switch loyalty, they try to make amends and they screw it up. However sometimes a few important details get lost in the mix. They move forward so fast that things get left behind that I don't think realistically should have been. Sometimes the characters are a bit too focused on moving ahead while the things and responsibilities they left behind apparently vanish into obscurity. And I'm not talking little things, I mean like a King who totally deserts his kingdom, seemingly without another thought.
Now don't get me wrong, this took some time. He looked back for a short while but over time he just seemed to stop caring and took a stance of "oh well, I guess they can fend for themselves, I have more important things to do with my time." -- Really? What King does that to a realm he claimed to care so much about at the beginning? Not a big flaw considering how great the characterization and pace are as a rule, but it nagged at me. I did get a chuckle out of it though. Another character called him on it during an argument. It was glossed over but it let me know that the author was well aware of the hole in the story.
♦ Conclusion: No sign of "middle book" syndrome here. As with book one this is a fun, fast paced, multilayered, dark, complex epic fantasy with thrills, chills and a classic struggle of good versus evil. But the most fascinating part of this fantasy is the layers. There are layers of evil, just as there are layers of good. And there are gray levels in the middle; races and people who could (and do) go either way. Choices are offered and either refused or taken. Some are the right choice, some are wrong but the path taken often completely changes the direction of the story. I loved every minute of it and greatly look forward to the conclusion.
Originally posted @ Dragons, Heroes and Wizards
August 5, 2011
I first read Australian author Sara Douglass's Wayfarer Redemption series (or, in the original publication run, the Axis trilogy) in high school and quickly became a fan. I devoured each book as it hit shelves and even stayed loyal through the second half of the series (the last three books). Then the enchanted world Tencendor ended and Douglass moved on to other stories, other worlds. The next novel of her that I picked up was The Troy Game, which I absolutely hated. It was painful for me to read. So painful, in fact, that I couldn't finish the book and vowed after reading it to never touch another Douglass novel again.
That was about five years ago.
I was recently perusing the new releases at my local bookstore when I saw The Infinity Gate in hardcover. Recognizing Douglass' name, I thought I'd see what she was up to these days. After reading the dust jacket cover, I thought I'd pick up the first book in the series, The Serpent Bride, and see what it was about. Even though I was admittedly a little disappointed with it, I decided to try out the sequel, The Twisted Citadel, mostly because I didn't have anything else to read and it was sitting at the library.
And I'm so glad I took the chance. This book reminded me of why I originally became a Douglass fan. The characters are dynamic and emotional, the world is fascinating and original, and the way Douglass tells her story draws me in and leaves me on the edge of my seat, desperately wanting to know more about the characters.
In this exciting middle novel in the DarkGlass Mountain trilogy, Ishbel and Maxil struggle with their romance with the added complication of bad omens and a woman named Ravenna who is pregnant with Maxil's child. Meanwhile, tyrant Isaiah and battle-hardened Axis must deal with the evil forces that are overrunning the land and protect it as an even darker force is brewing.
So, why only four stars instead of five? The reliance on Axis, Stardrifter and other items from the Wayfarer Redemption series is far too heavy. While it is kind of interesting to see more of the character, the series would have been much stronger if the DarkGlass Mountain characters took the spotlight completely rather than sharing it with Axis characters.
That was about five years ago.
I was recently perusing the new releases at my local bookstore when I saw The Infinity Gate in hardcover. Recognizing Douglass' name, I thought I'd see what she was up to these days. After reading the dust jacket cover, I thought I'd pick up the first book in the series, The Serpent Bride, and see what it was about. Even though I was admittedly a little disappointed with it, I decided to try out the sequel, The Twisted Citadel, mostly because I didn't have anything else to read and it was sitting at the library.
And I'm so glad I took the chance. This book reminded me of why I originally became a Douglass fan. The characters are dynamic and emotional, the world is fascinating and original, and the way Douglass tells her story draws me in and leaves me on the edge of my seat, desperately wanting to know more about the characters.
In this exciting middle novel in the DarkGlass Mountain trilogy, Ishbel and Maxil struggle with their romance with the added complication of bad omens and a woman named Ravenna who is pregnant with Maxil's child. Meanwhile, tyrant Isaiah and battle-hardened Axis must deal with the evil forces that are overrunning the land and protect it as an even darker force is brewing.
So, why only four stars instead of five? The reliance on Axis, Stardrifter and other items from the Wayfarer Redemption series is far too heavy. While it is kind of interesting to see more of the character, the series would have been much stronger if the DarkGlass Mountain characters took the spotlight completely rather than sharing it with Axis characters.
August 5, 2017
The second book in the DarkGlass Trilogy, Douglass's final trilogy following the adventures of Axis and the characters in the world he inhabits. I liked the book because like she always does, Douglass turns the prophecies she creates on their head and because we see a side of Ishbel that becomes increasingly into her own and creates a life on her own terms. The plot is standard Douglass: a powerful and scheming god-like powerful evil is trying to conquer the world but is held back by people (Maximilian and Ishbel) that it (referred to as The One) knows can do it harm and therefore must find a way to eliminating them. Add to this, a dying race (the Icarii), a newly discovered race, (the Lealfast), a race on the brink of destruction (humans) by a race of evil creatures (the Skraelings) and questionable alliances among some of them. This volume in many ways is a mad--chase to Serpent's Nest which will become Echo Falling once Maximilian arrives to lay claim to his heritage. But Isaiah's forces have gone their sepearate ways and are also racing towards Echo Falling to take it over and the Lealfast's loyalty seems to shift with the winds. In many ways, the story's intrigue and potential is best understood if one has read not only the previous book in this trilogy but in the previous trilogies and stand alone novels. If you've gotten that far, then this book will deliver on more excitement as previous novels.
April 12, 2010
ive always enjoyed her stories about axis and all his adventures, but i think sara has kinda lost the edge, i felt that this book didnt match up to the previous adventures...there was something missing..
and it felt like the plot was rushed.
it was always going to be hard for this book to live up to expectations considering i had just finished george martins a song of ice and fire.
you can feel the difference in story, and how much better george is at creating the scene and mood.
there were parts in this book that reminded me of terry goodkinds style of writing, the lovey dovey shit, that kinda made me cringe. dont get me wrong it was no where as bad as terry but it had its elements of it.
i really cruised throught this novel.
the ending really lacked any suspense, shock, aura...it really did just finish all of a sudden...
i will most defenitely read the 3rd one in the series because i wanna see what happens with axis.
now that i think about it, the ending reminds me of the lord of the rings ending..where they are all in 1 castle/citadel and there is a massive army of evil at its gates.
well...still it wasnt bad and worth the read to pass some time.
April 18, 2012
After my scathe-view of [[ASIN:B001C2DEDU The Serpent Bride (DarkGlass Mountain, Book 1)]] its probably not surprising that I rate Twisty City a little higher (no-where to go but up right?)
The story continues with characters Axis, Maxis, and several names beginning with I that this reviewer struggled to distinguish between.
There's also a new villain in town, which kinda makes the first book's bad-guy build-up redundant, and a mysterious race addition to the world.
All in all though the series continues to fall flat - the plot seems to consist of the good guys trying to get their love triangles sorted before the badguy initiates his sinister plans (I may have summarised epic fantasy plots all over)
And dare I criticise the humour inserted into this book like a 3rd encounter butt-probe? Super-powered rats, the evil Skraelings acting like comedic [[ASIN:B0042U94UQ Despicable Me (Single-Disc Edition)]] minions?
The worst thing about this series, and if my memory serves Douglas has done this before, if the good-guys ability to fix everything with a bit of love and magic. Just whenever I think the stakes have been raised at all, it turns out that: no there is no dramatic tension, before good will win out in the end, by inexplicable powers not seen before today (and in terms of bringing people back from mortal injuries, certainly not used on minor characters!)
The story continues with characters Axis, Maxis, and several names beginning with I that this reviewer struggled to distinguish between.
There's also a new villain in town, which kinda makes the first book's bad-guy build-up redundant, and a mysterious race addition to the world.
All in all though the series continues to fall flat - the plot seems to consist of the good guys trying to get their love triangles sorted before the badguy initiates his sinister plans (I may have summarised epic fantasy plots all over)
And dare I criticise the humour inserted into this book like a 3rd encounter butt-probe? Super-powered rats, the evil Skraelings acting like comedic [[ASIN:B0042U94UQ Despicable Me (Single-Disc Edition)]] minions?
The worst thing about this series, and if my memory serves Douglas has done this before, if the good-guys ability to fix everything with a bit of love and magic. Just whenever I think the stakes have been raised at all, it turns out that: no there is no dramatic tension, before good will win out in the end, by inexplicable powers not seen before today (and in terms of bringing people back from mortal injuries, certainly not used on minor characters!)
April 20, 2012
I should mention to begin with that I have not yet read the first book in the Darkglass Mountain Series (The Serpent Bride) so things were a little chaotic jumping straight into book two. Having said that, the beginning was definitely interesting enough to keep me going. I enjoyed the character Ishbel and liked watching her grow from a needy and suddenly discarded wife into a very powerful woman who won her husband back without even meaning to.
Being a middle book, the Twisted Citadel didn't really go anywhere for a very long time (that's 500 pages of things being 'developed'). But when it did (page 560 to be exact) it REALLY did! I was so impressed that the final pages of the book flew past in a blur (all thirteen of them).
I think that if I had known more about these characters from the first book, this one might have been a little easier going... then again, the characters seemed to have improved immeasurably from where they had once been, so it's equally possible that reading the first book would just have been annoying.
From a purely technical point of view, Sara Douglass is an excellent writer and skillfully juggles a great many character's points of view throughout the story. It was actually a lot easier to read than I had expected when I first saw the size of the beast.
Very good, solid fantasy. I strongly recommend you read book one first though.
Being a middle book, the Twisted Citadel didn't really go anywhere for a very long time (that's 500 pages of things being 'developed'). But when it did (page 560 to be exact) it REALLY did! I was so impressed that the final pages of the book flew past in a blur (all thirteen of them).
I think that if I had known more about these characters from the first book, this one might have been a little easier going... then again, the characters seemed to have improved immeasurably from where they had once been, so it's equally possible that reading the first book would just have been annoying.
From a purely technical point of view, Sara Douglass is an excellent writer and skillfully juggles a great many character's points of view throughout the story. It was actually a lot easier to read than I had expected when I first saw the size of the beast.
Very good, solid fantasy. I strongly recommend you read book one first though.
Read
September 2, 2012As I mentioned in my review of this book's immediate predecessor, the more I read through the Dark Glass Mountain trilogy, the more I am reminded of Douglass' formula for The Axis Trilogy. Whereas the first book introduced the characters and followed the path of Axis and Faraday as they discovered their predestined futures and the emotional toll at having their lives planned before them, so did The Serpent Bride but of Maxel and Ishbel instead.
As Book 2 of the Axis Trilogy watched as they both came into their courage and accepted their futures, so does The Twisted Citadel follow Maxel and Ishbel as they accept the inevitability of their lives.
What I love about this series is that it has not been as predictable as The Axis Trilogy became. The knowledge of Axis in this book as well as other assorted characters of the past seven stories has made for changes in the actions of the protagonists.
Like the rest of Douglass' works, there is horror, pain, love, passion, fear, jealousy, beauty and plenty of suspense to keep you reading for hours.
As Book 2 of the Axis Trilogy watched as they both came into their courage and accepted their futures, so does The Twisted Citadel follow Maxel and Ishbel as they accept the inevitability of their lives.
What I love about this series is that it has not been as predictable as The Axis Trilogy became. The knowledge of Axis in this book as well as other assorted characters of the past seven stories has made for changes in the actions of the protagonists.
Like the rest of Douglass' works, there is horror, pain, love, passion, fear, jealousy, beauty and plenty of suspense to keep you reading for hours.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2020
I really enjoyed seeing Ishbel coming into her own in this book. Her and Maxel's break up at the end of the Serpent Bride broke my heart but I loved that she came out of it a stronger character.
Despite the few unexpected, brutal twists, overall i really felt that this was a 'waiting' book (waiting to get to Elcho Falling, waiting to get news, waiting for people to choose their loyalties etc) and found that it dragged a bit at times. However, I still give it four stars because I love all of Douglass' characters (wow Ravenna is one bad ass hell-hath-no-fury woman) and for the phenomenal ending.
Despite the few unexpected, brutal twists, overall i really felt that this was a 'waiting' book (waiting to get to Elcho Falling, waiting to get news, waiting for people to choose their loyalties etc) and found that it dragged a bit at times. However, I still give it four stars because I love all of Douglass' characters (wow Ravenna is one bad ass hell-hath-no-fury woman) and for the phenomenal ending.
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