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Amazon.co.uk Review
Bridget Lederele is Keeper of the Light on Sand Island, shunned by the mainland following the birth and death of her bastard child and rumours of her psychic visions. Now she keeps the lighthouse blazing, warning sailors away from the rocky dangers of the lake. Her life is thrown into turmoil when she rescues the tattooed stranger Kalami from the wreckage of his boat and tells her she is needed in another world to defeat the sorceress step-daughter of the Empress Dowager Medeoan. Seeing the chance for a new start, Bridget accepts Kalami's offer but the world she finds waiting for her is unlike anything she has been promised.
Zettell's first fantasy novel is a triumph of story-telling, taking fairytale and folklore and dressing it in lies, half-truths and dark magic. All the characters are powerfully drawn, especially Bridget, a strong and attractive heroine, willing to face her responsibilities as much as the aged Dowager is willing to run from hers, if only because she thinks it the right thing to do. This is a world populated by characters who are flawed to the extreme, not totally evil, but driven by motivations they know to be wrong. It's a world of grey areas and twisted truths that thanks to Zettell's superb plotting only gradually revels themselves. The magic system is rich and detailed with truth spells woven into warm herb bread and transportation spells cast out nothing but air itself. Sorcerer's Treason is a magnificent fantasy novel, showcasing just how good this genre can be. Rich, compelling and exciting, this could be the best fantasy debut in years and is certainly as good as fantasy gets. --Jonathan Weir --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
‘A sumptuous tale of subtle magic, malevolent sorcery and twisted loyalties – you won’t regret venturing into Sarah Zettel’s world’ Sara Douglass
‘A fresh and surprisingly exciting fantasy thriller…Zettel’s engaging writing style conjures up a gripping plot and some effective, three-dimensional characterisation. Even the magic system is well-thought out and inventive…this engaging and vivid slice of escapist fantasy will keep fans of Robin Hobb more than happy’ SFX
‘Zettel’s first fantasy novel is a triumph of story-telling…All the characters are powerfully drawn, especially Bridget, a strong and attractive heroine…A Sorcerer’s Treason is a magnificent fantasy novel, showcasing just how good this genre can be. Rich, compelling and exciting, this could be the best fantasy debut in years’ Amazon
‘Sarah Zettel’s well-told and absorbing tale is full of original touches’ Starburst
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Customer Reviews
On the surface, the tale is a simple one, in genre terms: a lonely woman meets a mysterious man from another world, who takes her home and enlists her in a battle against his evil political opponents. Yet Zettel's novel - in both its striking plot twists and its overall structure - swiftly distances itself from cliche.
Bridget Lederle is a memorable character in a vividly-drawn world even before she enters Zettel's fantasy realm. While most novels of this type treat the protagonist's home world as little more than a prelude, a painted backdrop to the real story, here Bridget's earlier life is given welcome emphasis. The close-knit nineteenth-century fishing community in which Bridget lives and works as a lighthouse keeper is portrayed with intriguing detail, its supporting characters fully-rounded individuals. Bridget herself is conflicted, complex and intelligent, resilient but worn out with old emotional pain; as much of an outsider in the world where she grew up as she will be in the one she travels to.
Zettel's fantasy world, meanwhile, does not pale beside its historical counterpart. Isavalta is a fine blend of cultural elements that seasoned fantasy readers will find less familiar, incorporating elements of eastern European, Middle Eastern and Asian folktales and history. Most notable are the fabulous fox spirits, and there is a real sense of old powers with unfathomable schemes at work. Bridget functions excellently as our window on this fascinating world, but alongsider her Zettel makes good use of different point-of-view characters for different perspectives, tension-building and plot twists.
The plot moves along at an absorbing pace, the characters provide much of the drama, and the reality of Bridget's situation - as it gradually emerges - is a pleasantly twisty one. If you're tired of genre books where you can spot both good guys and outcome within two pages, you'll enjoy this very much.
The blurb says fans of Robin Hobb will enjoy this; no, not quite. The story is enjoyable, but not compelling; there are good ideas, but they have not quite meshed yet. And that makes the book too long-winded. I read it, I finished it, but I stayed separate from the story; I was not immersed.
There's an interesting mix of Japanese and Russian-inspired mythology in the background, the heroine is familiarly feisty and... Read more
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