Customer Reviews

Cloudbearer's Shadow (The Sword in Exile, Book 1)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is the weakest link in the Celi saga. It does not compare with any of the books in the Rune Blade series. I can only hope that book 2 of this series is based on characters with greater depth. The characters in this book are rather predictable and two dimensional. The story line is also predictable and frustrating.

This is the absolute best book in the Celae series so far. The plot is intricately woven around Gareth and his amazing powers of Tyadda Magic. I would recommend reading the Rune Blade Trilogy first, as it lends a considerable amount of insight, but those who have read the first trilogy and liked it MUST move onto the second..

Cloudbearer's Shadow by Ann Marston was an enjoyable read. I probably should have started with the first book in her first series, Kingmaker's Sword, but I still found this one likeable and delightful. Her writing flows from one page to the next, making it easy to read, but her storyline lacked the power and suspense that some other author's have elucidated in their first novel of a series.

Gareth is the younger son of the Prince of Skai who has been exiled from the Isle of Celi for many years. He has grown up without the love and help from his father, but other mentors have taught him about duty, honor, and courage. Gareth constantly dreams about a sword, named Bane. Finally, with his father dying, he decides to look for it by going back to Celi.

At times, the turning points seemed rushed, but overall the book was fun to read and the small twists were enjoyable. I should have started with her first series, but nonetheless I will continue reading the rest of the Sword in Exile series and then go back to her Rune Blade Trilogy. Enjoy!

Anne Marston's series is well written and quickly involves you with her characters.
I especially enjoy reading trilogies which often overlap with other trilogies.

I picked up this book for a light read one afternoon and it was most disappointing. The characters are one dimensional, the plot is very predictable, and the dialogue is very unnatural.

This saga was realistic. There were no miraculous escapes just because the character was a 'good' guy and one of the heroes (even if you wish there had been). There were no gaping inconsistences to throw the story line off. A straight forward fantasy novel. A good read for many ages. I finished it in one day.

I'm a bit dissapointed with this book and the rest of the trilogy, because if you've read the rune blade trilogy - you'll already know practically everything that happens. The sword in exile isn't a new trilogy but a copy of the rune blade trilogy.
First of all the caracters are all overmesured - too heroic and in the first 50 pages you'll alrady know how the book ends (At least I knew). Each book of the trilogy is like the next one, generation after generation of overmesured heroes.

An amazing story of Gareth and his bheancoran, a female who protects her prince,Lowra. Gareth, the prince of Skia is in exile from his land overrun with dark magic. He at first takes refuge with his father elsewhere until called back to fetch his father's rune blade, and he has to get a Healer for his dying father. He and his companions travel through many dangers that had me holding my breath hoping that the characters would survive. And then I found myself wanting everthing to be perfect for them because I'd grown to like them so much. This is perhaps on of the best fantasy books I've ever read and I recomend you read it.

I found this book a bit disappointing. The story simply wasn't gripping me firmly enough, unlike the previous trilogy. The story's characters were just simply too boring. The characters were written more flimsily and Marston repeated simply too much of "strange, fey race" and the song of the sword and all those other things that you would notice a lot if you had read the first series previously. The characters did not show a lot of depth but were rather shallow, unlike the deep characteristic protagonists of the previous novels. The appearance of kian and cullin baffled me. why would they appear? it isn't even any of their business. Why them and not anyone else? in other words, i didn't like this book very much, the second book in this series was a great disappointment too, i hope the third one (i'm reading right now) is going to be better. I only read this trilogy for the sake of finishing up the story. These books in the sword in exile trilogy did nothing for me. in the Rune Blade trilogy though, the plot kept me on the edge of my seat, and i imagined myself to be inside the story and watching it all happen. whereas these two books, cloudbearer's shadow and king of shadows, only made me want to get on so that i could finish these books. Ann Marston, if you are reading this, ( which i hope you are) this series was obviously a rushed piece of work. Given time, it would have been a bit better but please, an author must never rush his/her work so that it can be the masterpiece you want it to be! all in all, i'd like to say that if you read the first series, in order to finish the story, you should read this series, but if you didn't read the previous series, don't even touch this book.

I swooped through this offering in one day, after re-reading the Rune Blade books to refresh my memory of characters and events. I'm impatient to see the rest of this trilogy - HURRY UP ANN!!!!!