Sarah Ash
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First British Edition Bantam (2005) |
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| Paperback - Bantam (2006) |
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Children of the Serpent Gate
Book Three of The Tears of Artamon
Haunted by the demon that claims his soul, Gavri Nagarian must confront those who would destroy his world and all that he holds dear…
The triumphant conclusion to The Tears of Artamon
Gavril Nagarian is believed dead - perished in the heat of battle. But in truth the Lord Drakhaon of Azhkendir lives on. He is entrusted with a sacred mission: to rescue the aged Magus, who has been kidnapped and in whose possession are the five priceless rubies that make up the fabled Tears of Artamon. Ancient law decrees that whoever possesses the coveted stones has the power to impose his law over the five princedoms in the Empire of New Rossiya.
But the task exacts a terrible price. The Drakhaoul that destroyed his forebears has penetrated Gavril’s psyche and is gaining power over his soul. With these dark forces seeking immortality inside him, Gavril must feed on the blood of innocents - or die.
Toppled by the loss of the Tears of Artamon, Emperor Eugene of Tielen is tormented by his own daemon. Now he must defend his lands against King Enguerrand of Francia who claims ownership of the Tears. Yet both men share a common goal: to destroy Gavril Nagarian - and the Drakhaoul that lives within him - once and for all.
Ingenious and unforgettable, Children of the Serpent Gate delivers a thrilling conclusion to Sarah Ash’s epic journey of a man of honour in a world run amok - a man haunted by a dark legacy and who understands that to avert disaster, it will take an Emperor’s Tears …
Cover illustration by John Howe
‘Everything about The Tears of Artamon trilogy oozes quality… an emotional firecracker of a tale’ SFX
'Darkly delicious … takes elements from Eastern European folklore and combines them with vampirism, dragons and politics to create an unusual and rich new landscape… filled with surprises and exciting twists. It is a deeply textured read that I found utterly entrancing.’ SF Site
‘Action-packed... Sarah Ash puts her conflicted protagonists through the wringer, builds the tension to a satisfying climax, and neatly ties up all the loose ends’ Starburst
| Paperback - Bantam (2005) |
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First British Edition Bantam (2004) |
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Prisoner of Ironsea Tower
Book Two of The Tears of Artamon
A shattered empire reunited. A victory exacted at a terrible price. The Tears of Artamon continues…
Gavril Nagarian has finally cast out the dragon-daemon. The Drakhaoul is gone - and with it all Gavril’s fearsome powers. But now rid of the daemon’s unnatural lusts and desires, he understands how he has betrayed his birthright and his people - put the ice-bound kingdom of Azhkendir at risk and lost ...
Emerging from his battle with the Lord Drakhaon scarred but victorious, Eugene of Tielen exacts a terrible revenge upon the vanquished. For crimes against the Rossiyan Empire, renegade warlord Gavril Nagarian is condemned to spend the rest of his days in an asylum for the insane - for the absence of the Drakhaoul is indeed slowly driving him mad. But Eugene is motivated by something altogether more sinister: he longs to possess the Drakhaoul - whatever the cost to his kingdom and his humanity.
With Gavril imprisoned in Ironsea Tower, it is left to three women to keep his memory alive. His mother - having returned to her homeland - sows the seeds of rebellion, while a young scullery maid whose heart is broken by Gavril’s incarceration sends her spirit out to quest the Ways Beyond. And even the emperor’s new wife is haunted by the memory of the handsome young painter who once captured her soul.
As the five realms of a shattered empire are reunited and the last of Artamon’s ruby tears adorns Eugene’s crown, peace comes to Rossiya. But peace can be as fragile as a rebel’s whisper. Or a captive’s desire to be free ...
In an enthralling sequel to the acclaimed Lord of Snow and Shadows, Sarah Ash returns to this realm of spirits and singers, daemons and kings to tell a tale flowing with power and light, where courtly intrigue collides with wild magic, and good and evil are as nebulous as the memory of a dream ...
'This is no run-of-the-mill good-versus-evil fantasy potboiler… this is complex, ambitious writing with an engrossing plot' SFX
‘Ash does it in style ... she has given us a superb interweaving of characters and context, seamless enough to carry us through the threshold of disbelief into a world both magical and firmly, unwaveringly human’ Tom Holt, about Lord of Snow and Shadows
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First British Edition Bantam (2003) |
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| Paperback - Bantam (2004) |
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Lord of Snow and Shadows
Three kingdoms. One man. A destiny written in blood. An epic new fantasy series begins...
Book One of The Tears of Artamon
Richly imagined, full of intrigue and dark romance and boasting a cast of superbly drawn players, Lord of Snow and Shadows is the first book in a thrilling new trilogy and marks the return of one of fantasy’s most original and exciting voices.
All Gavril Andar has ever known of life is the sunny clime of his southern home, his beautiful mother, and his love of painting. Until his peace is shattered - and his destiny decreed - by the arrival of a group of fierce clan warriors from the north. The father he has never known is dead. The man who ruled the wintry kingdom of Azhkendir, a man in whose veins ran the burning blood of the Drakhaoul, has been murdered by his enemies.
Blood. The liquid that will seal Gavril’s fate. For becoming Drakhaon means not only ascending to the throne of Azhkendir, but also changing - changing, in subtle ways at first, into a being of extraordinary power and might. Becoming a dragon-warrior. One that must be replenished with the blood of innocents in order to survive.
Kidnapped by the warriors, Gavril is incarcerated in Kastel Drakhaon, with no means of escape from the isolated, ice-bound kingdom. Expected to avenge his father’s death, and carefully watched by neighbouring rulers waiting for their chance to move against him, the untested Gavril must fight to retain his human heart and soul in the face of impending war - and the dark instincts that threaten to overpower him ...
Combining the best of fantasy traditions with her own unique vision, Sarah Ash brings to dazzling life a new saga filled with epic adventure and unforgettable characters. Far-reaching in scope and imagination, Lord of Snow and Shadows marks the first step on a journey like no other - into a world teeming with political intrigue, astonishing magic, and passions both dark and light ...
`Overflowing with page-turning surprises and plot twists... a promising start to a clearly ambitious series’ SFX
| British Pbk Original - Gollancz Millenium (1998) |
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The Lost Child
The Tsiyonim ghetto of Arcassanne is rudely awakened one night to discover the corpse of a child on a doorstep. The elders wish to conduct their own investigation, but the captain of the city guard has reasons of his own for making sure one of the ghetto dwellers is blamed for the atrocity.
Captain Jaufre d'Orbiel has been experimenting in the black arts, toying with the gods that the Tsiyonim worship not realising the power that their rites command. Rahab, who found the bloodless child, is keen to find the real killer - to prove his own innocence, and to atone for losing hold of his brother's hand as they fled their birthplace in the last pogrom... His salvation lies unexpectedly close at hand, but is more terrifying, more spectacular than he could have imagined from the fabulous myths of history.
Sarah Ash trained as a composer before turning to fiction. She is the author of two previous fantasies, Moths To A Flame and Songspinners.
'Ash creates memorable characters caught up in thrilling events… Ash has proved herself an innovative fantasist not content to trade in shopworn kingdoms or conceits.' Paul Di Filippo
'Fast moving and yet told in effectively lush, fey language… Definitely an author to watch' SFX
'The innovative fantasist' Asimov's
'An exciting fantasy quest… a thoughtful and thoroughly enjoyable book' Starburst
'Delightfully rich and imaginative, a surprisingly fascinating, yet thought provoking fantasy. Recommended' SFX
Bibliography
N.B. dates and publishers in dark red indicate British First Editions. Dates and publishers in black indicate recent reprints.
Children of the Serpent Gate
(Bantam,
2005)
Bantam Pbk Jun 06
Prisoner of Ironsea Tower
(Bantam,
2004)
Bantam Pbk Jan 05
Lord of Snow and Shadows
(Bantam,
2003)
Bantam Pbk Jan 04
The Lost Child
(Gollancz Millenium Pbk,
1998)
Songspinners
Moths To A Flame
Children of the Serpent Gate
by Sarah Ash
