Ashes of a black frost
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Bones jutted from the sand at angles—not odd angles, though, for that would suggest that there were ways bones could protrude that made sense—and the eyes of those still living stared and saw nothing. Amidst a scene of carnage on a desert battlefield blanketed in metallic snow, Major Konowa Swift Dragon sees his future, and it is one drenched in shadow and blood. Never mind that he has won a grand victory for the Calahrian Empire. He came here in search of his lost regiment of elves, while the Imperial Prince came looking for the treasures of a mystical library, and both ventures have failed. But Konowa knows, as do the Iron Elves—both living and dead—that another, far more important battle now looms before them. The campaign in the desert was only the latest obstacle on the twisted, darkening path leading inexorably to the Hyntaland, and the final confrontation with the dreaded Shadow Monarch. In this third novel of musket and magic in Chris Evans’s Iron Elves saga, Konowa’s ultimate journey is fraught with escalating danger. A vast, black forest finds a new source of dark power, spawning creatures even more monstrous than the blood trees from which they evolve. The maniacally unstable former emissary of the Shadow Monarch hungers for revenge, leading an army of ravenous beasts bent on utterly destroying the Iron Elves. A reluctant hero, Private Alwyn Renwar, struggles to maintain his connection to this world and that of the loyalty of the shades of the dead. And in a maze of underground tunnels, Visyna Tekoy, whom Konowa counts among those he has loved and lost, fights for her life against the very elves he so desperately wants to find. And so Konowa sets off from this Canyon of Bones, pursuing his freedom from a curse that has cast his life in darkness. For though his long, violent trek may indeed lead him to his destiny, he is ill prepared for the discovery he will make . . . with the fate of the Iron Elves, and the world, hinging on the courage of one wrathful elf.
Series
Featured Series
3 primary books#3 in Iron Elves
Iron Elves is a 3-book series with 3 primary works first released in 2008 with contributions by Chris Evans.
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Pros: lots of action, character development, dry humour, satisfying series conclusion
Cons: Konowa recovers from serious injuries remarkably fast, there is little downtime in the middle third of the book causing reader exhaustion, Konowa and Visyna's romance isn't very convincing
A second star has returned but not without cost. As a poisoned metallic snow begins to fall in the desert, heralding more of the Shadow Monarch's nightmares, the Iron Elves must decide their route. With Yimt's company missing, including Visyna and Konowa's parents, the Iron Elves head for the coast by way of Suhundam's Hill, last outpost of the original Iron Elves. There they face new dangers that make wiping out the Shadow Monarch more important than ever.
This book introduces new monsters again, including evolved sarka har, a once more transformed Emissary and the Shadow Monarch herself. It also explains the fate of the original Iron Elves Konowa is so eager to find.
There is a lot of character development, both with established characters and newly introduced soldiers. Often fantasy books dealing with the military or feudal hierarchies will constrain themselves to a small group of people, eventually causing a gap in characters as previous ones die or retire. So it was nice to see Evans bring forth a new batch of soldiers in this book and continue promoting them within the military ranks. It gave the series a realistic feel that the world continues, even as characters move on.
The action is fast and furious, with occasional downtime when the characters laugh and learn, though there was a section in the middle where it seemed everyone should have been collapsing from exhaustion. Konowa himself managed to recover remarkably fast from several serious accidents throughout the book. Readers may find themselves requiring a short break from the relentless action.
The romance between Konowa and Visyna seemed a little forced. Though it was hinted at through all three books there was little time for the characters to really get to know each other after the first book. It was nice seeing Visyna come to understand Konowa better in this installment, but there was no scene where she conveyed her new understanding to him.
The series came to a highly satisfying conclusion. If you like elves but want something different, give this series a try.
