00012596

Yeah, I read this book back in high school and DNF'ed the third in the series, and since I know I'm not gonna care about the third book now, I don't really need to care about this one either.

Not to say this is a bad book, necessarily. I really enjoyed it when I read it when I was younger. However, at this point, I really just didn't like the shift in focus from Thirrin and her allies to her son and his struggles.

But if you're 12, or looking for a book targeted towards 12-year-olds, this is a fine book! Charlemagne is disabled, but throughout this book learns to compensate for his disability by incorporating practices and techniques from other cultures, and his allies are, I would say, on par with Thirrin's allies, in terms of readability. The only thing I really dislike about this book is Medea--she's just very poorly motivated.

Not for me, at least not right now.
( )

A good solid epic fantasy. For me, things fell into place a little to easily for Sharley. I would have liked to see a bit more in the way of trials for him. I was also a little disappointed in the families reaction when they reunited. It was something I was looking forward to through the whole book and I found it a bit anticlimactic.

Still there is adventure in plenty and this book is a worthy sequel to Cry of the Icemark. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys fantasy.

( )

This is the second installment in the Icemark Chronicles and it was as good as the first one. Set 20 years after the first book, Queen Thirrin and the Warlock Oskan are happily married and have five children.
Again the Icemark is threatened by the Polypontian Empire and again all the allies ralley their armies to fight, to maintain their freedom. Shaley the youngest of the five children is send into exile with the refugees of the Icemark, because due to Polio in childhood he could not become an Icemark warrior.Where Shaley is cute, his older sister Madea is evil and mad. She is the only one who inherited Oskan's magic, but unfortunately decides to go the dark pathway, this development gives the story another extra twist. Again Stuart Hill manages to introduce new cultures into the picture and manages to create a vivid and engaging story. Despite his mild disabillity, Shaley manages to win new and unexpected allies whilst in exile, and even fulfills his dream in becoming a warrior. Eventually he leads the allies back to the Icemark to help to defend his homeland.
This was another brilliant read and I am looking forward to read the third installment. ( )

If you liked the first book in this series, of which this is the second, then you will love this book. Thirrin and Oskan have had five kids, and their kingdom is being threatened, again, by the ruthless Scipio Bellorum. Thirrin fears the saftey of her people, so she sends them south, along with Thirrin's youngest son, Charlemagne Lindenshield, to make allies. As the time of battle approaches, Thirrin's only daughter, Meda, wreaks havoc on the kingdom. Meanwhile, Charlemagne makes three new allies, and together, they sail back to Icemark, and defeat Scipio Bellorum and his two sons once and for all.

Another fantastic book, this is one that I will always remember. This book, like so many others, are just breathtaking in their complexity. I will never be without good book recommendations, so check the books that I have, and give those books a try!