The Glass Word

by Kai Meyer

Book Overview

When they emerge from Hell, Merle, her friend Junipa who has mirrors for eyes, and Vermithrax the flying stone lion find themselves in Egypt. Of course the Flowing Queen is with them as well, since Merle swallowed her back in Venice. There is something very wrong in Egypt--it is freezing cold, and everything is covered in snow. Winter is here, looking for his lost love, Summer. And another creature is here as well--Seth, the highest of the...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0689877927
• ISBN13: 9780689877926
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 10 to 13 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 8

Customer Reviews

Winter in Egypt and a dramatic conclusion to the series

This is the third book in the Dark Reflections trilogy. Merle, with Junipa and Vermithrax, who survived his encounter with the Stone Light are escaping Lord Light and are in hot pursuit of Seth, the former high priest to the Pharoah. Merle is unsure of who she can trust and it weighs on her heavily. Separately, Serafin, the sphinx Lalapeya, the former mermaid Eft and the other thieves are headed to Egypt on a pirate submarine. When they reach Egypt, Winter has arrived. They converge on the Iron Eye for the final showdown. Merle discovers who her parents are and must decide on a great sacrifice to save not only their world, but the other worlds in the mirrors. I thought the ideas in this one were again magical and creative, but the writing and emotions fell a little flat. It may be just a translational issue. Overall, a good book and a good conclusion to the series.

A satisfying conclusion to a complex, detailed, and thrilling fantasy series

Just like its predecessors, THE GLASS WORD, the final installment in Kai Meyer's Dark Reflections trilogy, takes no time to get right into the action. Central character Merle (whose mind is advised by the spirit of the Flowing Queen), her friend Junipa, and Vermithrax, the winged lion, have emerged from a harrowing battle in Hell --- and the various effects of the Stone Light --- to find themselves on the side of one of the huge pyramids of Egypt, which has been buried in snow in a new Ice Age. All the plot threads that Meyer set in motion earlier in the series come into play here, and all the characters, creatures and menacing enemies who populate this world (so like and yet unlike our own) are back for the final installment. Winter pursues Summer, mirrors create endless reflections that may or may not be trustworthy, and spies and mummies lurk on all sides. Sphinxes, pirates, sea witches and mermaids all have their part to play as the action moves toward the inevitable --- but surprising --- final battle, a battle in which Merle and her friends all have important, and perhaps even tragic, roles to play. Not surprisingly, given the title of the series, many of the scenes and individuals depicted in the Dark Reflections trilogy are dark indeed. THE GLASS WORD is no exception, as characters must constantly shift their loyalties, evaluate their trust and even re-consider their faith in themselves. Again, Meyer provides readers not only with nearly nonstop action but also with genuine philosophical questions that will challenge fans right to the end. Given its "in medias res" beginning, large cast of complex characters and detailed fantasy construction, THE GLASS WORD is not a book that readers should (or will want to) pick up without familiarizing themselves with the other volumes first. Those who have followed Merle's and Junipa's adventures from the first pages of THE WATER MIRROR, however, won't want to put this last installment down until they make their way to its satisfying conclusion.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

NOTE: This is the third book in a trilogy, just in case you were unaware, and if you can make sense of this story without having read the first two... You're either amazing or scary. Merle, Vermithrax, Junipa, and, of course, the Flowing Queen, have just barely escaped Hell and Lord Light with their lives. Although none of them is, or will ever be, quite the same. Thanks to the stone light, Vermithrax has turned from regular stone to a nearly impenetrable obsidian, and Junipa's heart is no longer human. Merle is not sure who she can trust, and that includes herself. The Flowing Queen, while not absent, is considerably more silent now. But these personal issues are only the beginning of their problems. Winter has made his escape as well. He is on a manic hunt for Summer, his only true love. And a blizzard of snow and ice both follows and precedes him. The deserts of Egypt are covered, and all their inhabitants, including our heroes, are in danger of freezing to death. Well, maybe not Vermithrax. Unless they can locate the Iron Eye, the fortress of the sphinxes. At the Iron Eye their current "mission" will finally be complete. For better or worse. No one is clear on what specifically needs to be done. (Except maybe the Flowing Queen, but she doesn't seem to want to share.) What is clear is that it will take every one of them, and each of their unique abilities, and even some unexpected help, for them to save the world they know. Survival is a completely different concern. From the very beginning this book overflows with information, and there is no pause. You, as the reader, are almost as exhausted as the characters! There is no time for back history, so you might want to brush up on it before you start this book. The characters you have come to love, or hate, are all back. Even some that you thought were gone for good. More then a few of them have surprises for you. You just may find yourself changing your opinion of some of them. This book is literally so fast and furious that my mind is still reeling from it! I promised you a view of the trilogy as a whole, and I give it five stars. It's absorbing and intricate and frenetic. But, I'm changing my pop culture reference. I see it more like Lord of the Rings. You could experience it in pieces, and it's pretty good. But the impact as a whole is so much greater. Take a day, or a weekend, if you can, and read them all at once. You won't be disappointed. Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman