The Assassin King (Symphony of Ages) [Mass Market Paperback]

Elizabeth Haydon (Author)

Book Description

Series: Symphony of Ages | Publication Date: November 27, 2007

The Assassin King opens at winter's end with the arrival by sea of a mysterious hunter, a man of ancient race and purpose, who endlessly chants the names of the pantheon of demons that are his intended victims, as well as one other: Ysk, the original name of the Brother, now known as Achmed, the Assassin King of Ylorc. 

 

At the same moment of this portentous arrival, two gatherings of great import are taking place. The first is a convocation of dragons, who gather in a primeval forest glade--the site of the horrific ending of Llauron, one of the last of their kind. They mourn not only his irrevocable death, but the loss of the lore and control over the Earth itself that it represents.

 

The second gathering is a council of war held in the depths of the keep of Haguefort: Ashe and Rhapsody, rulers of the alliance that protects the Middle Continent; Gwydion, the new Duke of Navarne; Anborn, the Lord Marshall; Achmed, the King of Ylorc, and Grunthor, his Sergeant-Major. Each brings news that form the pieces of a great puzzle. And as each piece is added it becomes quite clear: War is coming, the likes of which the world has never known. 

 

Cataclysms, both large and small, await in this sixth volume of the USA Today bestselling fantasy series, The Symphony of Ages. A twisting, fast-moving tale, The Assassin King promises endless surprises--many of which lead to pain.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. At the start of Haydon's lyrical sixth installment in her sweeping saga of musical magic and ancient prophecies (after 2004's Elegy for a Lost Star), the dragons of the world gather to mourn the loss of one of their oldest and greatest—whose demise leaves a weakness in their protective shield of the Earth. Ashe and Rhapsody, the Lord and Lady of Cymrian, also convene with their allies to prepare for the war looming between deadly powers that could tear the world apart. Rhapsody has the added distraction of caring for their infant son, Meridion, for as the heir to Cymrian the baby is an obvious target; he may also be the Child of Time, whose coming will change the world—and perhaps even the nature of Time itself. While deftly managing a large cast of intriguing characters in a story that's both grand and intimate but never predictable, Haydon moves all the pieces into place for the next volume. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

The sixth Symphony of Ages novel portends a turning point. A mysterious figure wanders about reciting, among other things, the true name of Achmed, the assassin king of Yloc--and all good fantasy readers know that names have power. Meanwhile, a conclave of dragons, few in number but vastly powerful, plots. Achmed calls a council of war, and he and his advisers agree that war is coming, on a scale that should make the trilogy that will almost certainly follow this book thoroughly gripping. Haydon isn't the greatest fantasist, but her characterization skills and her use of folkloric material have steadily improved. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Tor Fantasy (November 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765344742
• ISBN-13: 978-0765344748
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #276,004 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally!, December 28, 2006

By 

Jena (CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Assassin King (Symphony of Ages) (Hardcover)

For those that are fans of the Symphony of Ages series it has been a long wait for this book. I am ecstatic that it has finally come out and I was not disappointed by it. I can only hope that there will be a shorter wait for the next in the series.

The story of The Assassin King begins shortly after where the previous book in the series, Elegy for a Lost Star, left off. This is a crucial moment in the storyline of the series. The world is starting to unravel and it is up to the heroes, including Rhapsody, Grunthor and Achmed, to fight for their world. It is nice to have the three main characters together as a team again.

The Assassin King is a pivotal point in the series that sets the foundation for the future storyline. As a result of this it does not have the same sense of "completeness" as the previous books in the series. This is not a negative criticism because it is a necessary step for the continuing narrative, but I would like to forewarn people. I would have liked to spend more time with Rhapsody, Grunthor and Achmed, but because of the multiple story threads that are taking place, that are necessary to establish, this was not possible. Because of the set-up Haydon has done in The Assassin King I am optimistic that the next book will see these characters more at the center.

The Assassin King plays a crucial role in the development of the overall storyline, but at the same time has a lot of good elements that stand by themselves. I highly recommend this book and the entire series. This book has fed my craving for the Symphony of Ages series and has whetted my appetite for more!

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At Last!, January 23, 2007

By 

G. Greene - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Assassin King (Symphony of Ages) (Hardcover)

The long wait for the next installment in the Symphony of the Ages is finally over, and while I'm a little disappointed that this book is primarily a building block for the next one, I am more than happy to catch up with Grunthor and Achmed, my two favorite characters (not that there was enough of them, but some is better than nothing). Additionally, we now have Rath, who is quite intriguing in his own right and a challenger worthy of Achmed, and the F'dor have returned in force.

The Assassin King is somewhat episodic, and many other new characters are introduced, while previously minor ones are expanded. But what this book lacks in flowing plot, it more than makes up for in brilliant, evocative narrative. Haydon is a master at creating atmosphere and characters, and the sheer virtuosity of her writing is a great pleasure to read.

I'm still waiting to see the world that Meridion changes when he alters time, but there are many other adventures to be had in the meantime. Let's just hope that the wait between books is not so long this time, since many more questions were asked than answered.

Great read and highly recommended!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Long Awaited and Well Worth It!, December 26, 2006

By 

Mark Hartnett "BookLord" (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Assassin King (Symphony of Ages) (Hardcover)

I have been waiting for this book for more than a year, but the wait was well worth it. The Publishers Weekly review is much closer than the one from Midwest/Klausner. Elizabeth Haydon has been the master of words and images in epic fantasy for a while, not just an endless stream of plot points. Whether she is describing a horrible seige to a holy city or the tiniest details of an underground hive a forgotten bees, you can literally see the pictures she is painting. My favorite character in her series, Achmed the Snake, is back in all his sarcastic, obnoxious force, as are Grunthor and Rhapsody in a return to the old days of the Three, plus an infant that has the ability to step in and out of time but can only communicate the way a real baby can. While it does take a chapter or two toward the beginning to catch up to what is going on, the book flies from there. I read it in two long sittings and am about to start it again, so I can enjoy a great discussion with all the other Achmed fans who've been drooling for this for years. Highly recommended.