Sable, Shadow and Ice [Paperback]

Cheryl J. Franklin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1994

With her brother facing execution as a rebel and her ruthless uncle willing to sacrifice everything for his own ambition, Marita, a young Mage, is swept into the struggle between the Protectorate and those hoping to restore the old Empire. Original.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After a slow start, hampered by shifting points of view that make its focus unclear, this fantasy soon picks up speed. In Franklin's ( The Inquisitor ) familiar yet creatively fruitful vision of the future, apocalyptic war has devastated the earth, and society has embraced ignorance rather than allow technological progress to result in further destruction. Estranged twins Benedict and Marita have chosen opposing paths in their decaying world. He preaches a Christianity-inspired religion, though universal and incontestable Affirmist law forbids such promotion of personal belief. Marita is a Mage; her humble specialty is love potions. Both have a calling to rescue their world from growing forces of evil, especially the renegade Mage Ch'ango, though Marita is slow on the uptake. It takes the appearance of an enigmatic yet irresistible privateer named Andrew to draw her into the battle to restore a culture of learning and progress. Franklin's tale of a world gone awry is fun but flawed, for while it reaches a climax, it never seems entirely finished; it remains unclear, for instance, how Benedict's religion is intended to fit in. Incomplete characterizations and a tendency to be excessively cryptic also mar this otherwise imaginative and entertaining fantasy.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: DAW (June 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0886776090
• ISBN-13: 978-0886776091
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,726,720 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mage Marisa is embroiled in her world's complex politics., January 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Sable, Shadow and Ice (Paperback)

In "Sable, Shadow and Ice", Cheryl J. Franklin has created another very original and complex world -- and one that is very much a departure from her other "Network-Consortium" series.

It's straight fantasy, with political and magical dealings galore. Franklin loves to pit the characters against each other, and no main character, good or bad, ever remains unscathed by the end of her books and this one is no exeption.

Well written, with a thought-out consistency to the fantasy elements, it is eminently rereadable.

The book also has marvelous cover art by John Howe. ;-)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I really loved this book. It haunts., July 27, 2000

By 

"sarasarah" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sable, Shadow and Ice (Paperback)

Somehow the story won't leave me and every once in a while I return it, to re-meet Aroha aka Andrew and Marisa all over again. I haven't ever read a book with the same emotional feel and deep imagery as this one. All of the characters are complex, are struggling, are flawed. Andrew was an interesting hero, being the most complex of the lot. Marisa made a great heroine, she was easy to identify with amd she felt things strongly, without being handicapped. And most amazing was how important she was to the outcome, how unexpected her role was. The ending was sad and kind of sweet. It was a great book. I'm hoping that Cheryl J. Franklin will write another non-tech SciFi-fantasy book, like this one.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!, September 11, 2003

By 

Sallie (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sable, Shadow and Ice (Paperback)

Cheryl Franklin outdoes herself with creating a realistic world and three dimensional characters. Once you finish the book you find yourself still thinking about it all the time. Excellent read. Highly recommend.