- Hardcover: 484 pages
- Publisher: Orbit; First Edition edition (5 Sep 2002)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1841490865
- ISBN-13: 978-1841490861
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.6 x 4.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 686,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Sean Russell adds interesting ideas to the Medievalising fantasy. The Isle of Battle, second volume of his Swan's War trilogy, has a handy amount of night-time treachery, feats of archery, sorcery and pitched cavalry battles. It has interesting thoughts about the nature of identity--to save her life, noblewoman Elise has allowed herself to be possessed by the long-dead sorceress Sianon and it is not clear, in either direction, who got the better of the deal. Similarly, Russell plays games with honour--is Dease, who has changed his loyalties, more, or less, honourable than his cousin Samul, who pursues them into dishonour and treachery?
These books take place in debatable land--centuries earlier a sorcerer twisted the relationship in time and space between locations along a river valley and its tributaries--and the moral landscape in which the characters get bogged down is equally perverse and disjointed. He brings a compassion to relationships--that between the blind minstrel King Carral, for example, and the hideously scarred Llyn--that never becomes quite saccharine. As its predecessor, The One Kingdom,The Isle of Battlekeeps us caring about the destinies of a large cast of characters and weighs courage against wisdom, loyalty against righteousness in an intelligent and morally complex narrative. --Roz Kaveney
Review
** 'A master of intelligent fantasy - subtle, well-crafted and gripping.' STEPHEN DONALDSON ** 'Magic and mystery blend in abundance with an intricate cast of characters. An engrossing read.' ROBIN HOBB ** 'A perfectly plotted, beautifully written fantasy' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY "Fresh, exciting and thoroughly compelling" ENIGMA
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First Sentence
IT WAS SAID THAT THE WYNND WAS A HAUNTED RIVER-A RIVER of many mysteries and many branches that took men places none had seen before. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
IT WAS SAID THAT THE WYNND WAS A HAUNTED RIVER-A RIVER of many mysteries and many branches that took men places none had seen before. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Sean Russell writes very very well. The story flows like the great river at the heart of the book and the characters, plot and pace are controlled with a light yet firm grip that makes all of his books a pleasure to read. It has been nearly a year since I read the one kingdom but the gap seems irrelevant as within a dozen pages I was again hooked!
Sean Russell is set apart from a lot of other writers in the genre is that he is, at heart, a storyteller. This ability to carry the reader along the current of the narrative makes his books throughly enjoyable reads.
I heartedly recommend his other books, particularly the Darwinian duologies for those seeking another fix until the final installment of this engaging story.
A first rate read!
Sean Russell is set apart from a lot of other writers in the genre is that he is, at heart, a storyteller. This ability to carry the reader along the current of the narrative makes his books throughly enjoyable reads.
I heartedly recommend his other books, particularly the Darwinian duologies for those seeking another fix until the final installment of this engaging story.
A first rate read!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Having finished Sean Russell's first book I couldn't wait for The Isle of Battle to arrive on the shelf, and despite having to buy the hardback it was well worth every penny! This writer is creating a fantasy land which is destined to be a classic. The landscape through which the reader travels is becoming richer and more rounded, with numerous characters and plot lines threaded together in this engrossing story. His narrative style is easy to read and not over blown like many fantasy writers, and using a simple and clear style he has created a world firmly planted in a believable reality, whose's characters are surprised to find is emmeshed in a magic and tortured history that draws them, and you the reader, irressitably on.
New characters serve to enrich and deepen the plot which is totally absorbing. As the plot lines and characters lives develop, Russell doesn't keep you waiting through inumerable chapters to find out how they are all developing,but interweaves them together keeping you in constant touch with all the threads of the story as it twists and turns. He also keeps you on your toes as he is not precious about despatching well established characters, and you are never quite sure what is going to happen next. Only one problem- it's at least a year for the next book!!
New characters serve to enrich and deepen the plot which is totally absorbing. As the plot lines and characters lives develop, Russell doesn't keep you waiting through inumerable chapters to find out how they are all developing,but interweaves them together keeping you in constant touch with all the threads of the story as it twists and turns. He also keeps you on your toes as he is not precious about despatching well established characters, and you are never quite sure what is going to happen next. Only one problem- it's at least a year for the next book!!
Format:Paperback
This is the second book in the Swans' War trilogy (after The One Kingdom and before The Shadow Road).
After the Renné costume ball and the disastrous attempt at overcoming Hafydd, Alaan is seriously wounded and flees to the river Wynnd, finally ending up in the gloomy Stillwater marshland.
In his tracks are Haffyd and his men-at-arms, accompanied by Prince Michael secretly spying on him, and
Elise Wills, soon joined by Baore, Tam, Fynnol, Cynddl and Pwyll, champion of the Westbrook Fair tournament.
After their cousin Toren's failed assassination, Samul and Beldor Renné are forced to flee. Toren, Dease, and later the Knight of the Vow Gilbert A'brgail, follow.
Meanwhile at Castle Renné, Lord Carral Wills meets Lady Beatrice and asks for the Isle of Battle to be returned to him in exchange for a peace treaty. There he also meets Llyn, and the reclusive girl with the burned face finally lowers her barriers in the blind man's presence.
But at the same time the Prince of Innes and Menwyn Wills, taking advantage of Hafydd's absence, decide to overrun Isle of Battle. The Renné and their new ally Lord Carral must go to war.
In this volume, numerous groups of characters alternately converge, forging new alliances, and diverge, like meandering arms of a river. Aside from Lord Carral's branch and its tributaries, it seemed to me that most of the book was spend wading waist-deep in the murky swamp of the Stillwater, squinting through thick fog, following the various groups of protagonists chasing each other, trying to catch Alaan before it's too late... leaving me virtually sodden.
After the Renné costume ball and the disastrous attempt at overcoming Hafydd, Alaan is seriously wounded and flees to the river Wynnd, finally ending up in the gloomy Stillwater marshland.
In his tracks are Haffyd and his men-at-arms, accompanied by Prince Michael secretly spying on him, and
Elise Wills, soon joined by Baore, Tam, Fynnol, Cynddl and Pwyll, champion of the Westbrook Fair tournament.
After their cousin Toren's failed assassination, Samul and Beldor Renné are forced to flee. Toren, Dease, and later the Knight of the Vow Gilbert A'brgail, follow.
Meanwhile at Castle Renné, Lord Carral Wills meets Lady Beatrice and asks for the Isle of Battle to be returned to him in exchange for a peace treaty. There he also meets Llyn, and the reclusive girl with the burned face finally lowers her barriers in the blind man's presence.
But at the same time the Prince of Innes and Menwyn Wills, taking advantage of Hafydd's absence, decide to overrun Isle of Battle. The Renné and their new ally Lord Carral must go to war.
In this volume, numerous groups of characters alternately converge, forging new alliances, and diverge, like meandering arms of a river. Aside from Lord Carral's branch and its tributaries, it seemed to me that most of the book was spend wading waist-deep in the murky swamp of the Stillwater, squinting through thick fog, following the various groups of protagonists chasing each other, trying to catch Alaan before it's too late... leaving me virtually sodden.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A weak middle chapter of a fair trilogy.
I really struggled to finidh this book, despite quite enjoying the one kingdom. It felt a labour to read it rather than a pleasure. Read more
Published on 11 April 2008 by genejoke
A rare, good "middle book" in an excellent trilogy (A Book Swede...
The Isle of Battle starts off directly after the hectic events of The One Kingdom (9/10) , and it starts off fast! Read more
Published on 8 Oct 2007 by Christopher Halo
Whiplash from one book to the next
You're driving down the road, heading into some of the most beautiful scenery you've ever seen. It's fall, and the trees are gloriously orange, brown, and gold, the colours... Read more
Published on 8 Jan 2004 by David Roy
Out of his Depth
The Isle of Battle has some good episodes. The Stillwater is one of the best magical locations in any fantasy I have read. Read more
Published on 14 Oct 2003 by Cr Gibbs
Worth A Read
If you are a fantasy fan who has read their Eddings, Feist, Tolkien, Goodkind etc 20 times and are desparing of finding something new then this could be what you are looking... Read more
Published on 3 Oct 2003 by Steve James
If You Buy This Book Your Life Will Be Better
This book is so great and gripping that I can't even do it justice. If you have read The One Kingdom you will know exactly what I mean. Read more
Published on 13 Sep 2003
A Wonderful Continuation of What Will Become a Classic Saga
The Isle of Battle is book two of Sean Russells' 'Swans War' Saga. It is a continuation to 'The One Kingdom' and so obviously isn't a book to read 'stand-alone'. Read more
Published on 23 Aug 2003 by Sam Bloomfield
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