The Twisted Citadel

by Sara Douglass

Book Overview

Tencendor is no more. The land is gone. But a few SunSoars remain, and a new foe walks the world.

In a time of magic and danger, three new heroes have stepped forward--Ishbel Brunelle, priestess of the Serpent Coil; Isaiah, the Tyrant of Isembaard; and Maximilian, the Lord of Elcho Falling. Yet despite their best efforts, the Dark God Kanubai has risen. And worse yet, war approaches--backed by the evil, insidious DarkGlass Mountain, hordes...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060882182
• ISBN13: 9780060882181
• Release Date: April 2009
• Publisher: Harper Voyager
• Length: 656 Pages
• Weight: 0.71 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 4.1" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

Clifhanger!

This was the second book I have read by this author. And, like the first, Serpent Bride, this one was a "can't put down". She does a wonderful job flashing from scene to scene and connecting them all near the end. The chapters all end in a cliff hanger and I didn't want to stop reading. I couldn't believe the ending! But sadly I understand the author has ovarian cancer and their may not be another book. My prayers go out to her. Ms. Douglas knows has to spin a tale.

The ending makes it all worth it

I have been a fan of Douglass since I stumbled across the Wayfarer Redemption. I have read all her books, and my favorites are the Wayfarer/Axis series. But this series has caught me in a way none of the previous ones did. Why? The world she has created, the story she is spinning. I've never felt she was a particularly strong writer; I wince repeatedly over redundancies and "babbling" (as another reviewer so aptly put it). But the story she tells forces me to overlook this. I won't review the plot here, as others have done so. But I give this book five stars because of the ending. Douglass outdoes herself in the climax of this book, the pictures she paints so intense they still linger in my mind. I found myself re-reading the ending several times. I've read thousands of books, and I've never done that before.

Held my attention from beginning to end

I had a tough time putting the Twisted Citadel down. I felt that this second book of the DarkGlass Mountain Trilogy lived up to Sara Douglass's depth, without resorting to some of the despair and hopelessness we've seen from her in past books. Certainly, it isn't a cheerful book, but what middle book of trilogy is? The story is filled with twists and turns, plenty of intrigue, and a good dose of hope. I felt it was well worth the time spent reading, and I can't wait for the next book!

Excellent series

This book took until page 300 to be interesting, but then I could not put it down and I cannot wait to read the trilogy finisher. I think the book was slow because I did not need the retelling of information from her other books. Also, the book is complicated and I have been used to easy reads. Thus, despite being a fan of werewolf and vampire novels, I strongly recommend this series.

fine middle book quest fantasy

Escator King Maximilian and his former Queen Ishbel battle their strong feelings for one another. However, both have doubts about reheating their romance as the first time it ended sadly and though they care for one another they both fear it will end badly again. At the same time the rulers debate the merits of their on and off relationship, Escator's military chieftain Isaiah and the Icarii enchanter Axis SunSoar plot strategy to fight the powerful evil demonic god Kanubai. Since DarkGlass Mountain has absorbed Kanubai, the demon has become even more dangerous to the country and this malevolence is growing stronger. Both Isaiah and Axis know they must act promptly before it is too late; their fear is that it is already too late. Although not as strong as the Axis Trilogy or the first DarkGkss Mountain entry (see THE SERPENT BRIDE), THE TWISTED CITADEL is predominantly a middle book quest fantasy. Still bone weary and mentally exhausted Maximilian makes the tale with his tired muses that being a hero and champion is not fun; he just wants to stay home for a change and ignore his responsibility of battling evil. The cast is solid regardless of species especially the human and Icarii team-up and the story line is fast-paced, but progress in spite of some vividly described encounters is limited as this second act mostly sets up the grand finish. Harriet Klausner