Sword of the Deceiver (Isavalta, Book 4) [Hardcover]

Sarah Zettel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 20, 2007

For five hundred years, the great southern empire of Hastinapura has flourished, ruling the world of Isavalta with an iron fist. But nothing lasts forever… The day of her womanhood ceremony finds Princess Natharie of Sindhu happily celebrating with her family, joyfully awaiting her marriage to a prince of another realm. However, when the Empire demands that her family send someone to court, Natharie realizes that she is the only one who can satisfy the Emperor's wishes and is taken by Hastinapura's Prince Samudra, brother of the emperor, back to the seat of empire. As Natharie spends time in the Hastinapura court, she learns of the Empire's bloodthirsty worship of the Mothers, and that their High Priest, Divakesh, is intent on spreading their worship beyond the Empire, including into neighboring Sindhu, at any cost. At the court, Natharie learns of plots that threaten to pit her homeland against Hastinapura in a disastrous war. Appalled by the power and brazenness of Samudra, she realizes, as each day brings war ever nearer, that the powerful prince may be her only hope to prevent a war that could destroy them all.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Zettel's satisfying conclusion to her Isavalta series (after 2004's The Firebird's Vengeance) illuminates the inner workings of the royal court of the Hastinapura Empire through the eyes of 19-year-old Princess Natharie of Sindhu, taken there as tribute from her father, King Kiet of the neighboring realm of Sindhu. Though women in Hastinapura are sequestered, they plot and peddle influence as deftly as the politicians, generals and priests who clamor for Emperor Chandra's attention. Chandra's honorable brother, Prince Samudra, does his best to influence his stern brother, but a year away carrying out diplomatic duties has weakened his own alliances at court. As Isavalta's nations chafe under Hastinapura's rule, Samudra and Natharie are caught up in a web of intrigue that could enmesh the land in all-out war. The fast-paced, complex story works well as a stand-alone and is sure to appeal to fans of both epic fantasy and romance. (Mar.)
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Review

"I can guarantee you won't regret venturing into Sarah Zettel's world."
--Sara Douglass on Sarah Zettell
 
"Characters leap off the page with heart-wrenching emotions and daring choices. Zettel's world-building continues to be faultless, blending Chinese, Indian and Russian folklore and magic into a cohesive and compelling whole. This is the touching tale of a mother's love, a journey of self-discovery and an enthralling adventure rolled into one."
--Romantic Times on The Firebird's Vengeance

"A finely drawn portrait of a strong woman's devotion to those who love her."
--Library Journal on The Firebird's Vengeance
 
"Zettel has enjoyed creating this multi-layered world, packed with inventive ideas and characters. Detailed descriptions of spell-weaving, gods inhabiting men inhabiting gods (honest) and a vixen goddess make for memorable images. Similarly, scenes of a city burning beneath a shrieking fire-god while its people flee in terror are punchy and vivid."
--SFX on The Firebird's Vengeance
 
"Complicated court intrigue is brought alive in a setting, enriched by research in Russian folklore and magiclore, for a very cleverly woven fantasy. A good read indeed."
--Andre Norton on A Sorcerer's Treason
 
"Ms. Zettel's confident treatment of her ambitious material shows just how entertaining the "grand tradition of Heinlein and Asimov" can be in sympathetic hands."
--Gerald Jonas, New York Times on Fool's War

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; First Edition edition (March 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765304228
• ISBN-13: 978-0765304223
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,089,138 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully entertaining fantasy!, June 11, 2007

By 

Bish (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sword of the Deceiver (Isavalta, Book 4) (Hardcover)

Sarah Zettel's writing has improved progressively over the course of her "Isavalta" series, and the latest "Sword of the Deceiver" is by far the best yet. It is a charming, and at times gripping, tale of love, power, and the clash of cultures and religions. Although set in the same universe as the rest of the "Isavalta" series, the events in "Sword" precede the events in the other books, and because the focus is on the kingdom of Hastinapura, it stands well on its own; readers need not have read the other books in the series to enjoy this one.

The story follows two main characters: Natharie, Princess of Sindhu, and Samudra, Prince of Hastinapura. Samudra, brother to the Emperor, is sent on a year-long mission to receive oaths of alleigance and tributes from Hastinapura's subject kingdoms. It is on this mission that he comes to Sindhu, where, having demanded a hostage from the royal family, he meets Natharie, who is the eldest daughter of the king and who has offered herself to save the younger members of her family. During her forced stay at Hastinapura, Natharie quickly learns that there is much more to Samudra than meets the eye, and the two develop a tenuous bond. But Natharie is also the target of Hastinapura's High Priest, whose religious fervor has caused him to single her out, as the people of Sindhu worship the Awakened One, and the people of Hastinapura worship the Mothers. And amidst all of this are the political power plays present in any court, and into which Natharie finds herself inextricably drawn.

There are also several other side characters whose actions and decisions help shape the outcome of the plot, and this was one of the things that I liked about the development of the story in "Sword". Events did not seem contrived, but rather were the natural outcomes of perfectly reasonable decisions made by half-a-dozen different characters, all of which converged into an explosive ending. All characters were fleshed out well, and even the "villains" had their points that the reader had to respect. The plot unfolded at a good pace, and it was easy to sympathize with Natharie and Samudra as they worked through their respective struggles.

The writing was very fluid, descriptive, and often beautiful to read. There were a few references to Indian myth in this novel, which I thought were aptly applied; some of the philosophical discourses were interesting to read as well.

The only complaint I really had about this novel was the way the ending played out; I didn't feel like the central characters had much part it in, and considering that most of what happened was in direct response to them, it made it seem a bit disjointed. Also, some of the actions the characters take at the end didn't seem very believable, which was a departure from the way they were written earlier in the novel. But despite this, it was still a satisfying ending, and a read I would highly recommend.

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating storytelling!, July 13, 2007

By 

Howard D. Fisher "kahohito" (Pennsylvania, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sword of the Deceiver (Isavalta, Book 4) (Hardcover)

I've been a fan of Zettel for years, and her writing just keeps getting better. This novel continues the trend.

Set as a prequel to Zettel's other Isavalta novels, "Sword of the Deceiver" tells the story of Natharie, a "willing" tribute from her people to their rulers in Isavalta. Once in the Palace of the Pearl Throne, Natharie finds herself in the middle of court intrigues and deceptions where she's never sure who to trust or what their underlying motives might be -- except that she herself is beginning to have feelings for Prince Samudra who, depending which rumors one believes, may be plotting to take over the throne.

This is an incredible novel full of intrigue, adventure, romance, and magic. While the first 100 pages are a little slow setting up all the different plot lines (and there are MANY plot lines through every deception), once all the players are in place, the novel takes off. By halfway through, I stayed up all night to finish it.

The book leaves open every possibility for a direct sequel, and I hope Zettel writes one instead of hopping around in time as she's done through the rest of the Isavalta novels. (I had hoped the same thing of the first Isavalta novel, "A Sorcerer's Treason," but alas, no sequel yet.) Natharie is a wonderfully complex and determined character, and Prince Samudra is truly heroic. These characters deserve many more tales.

2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent epic political fantasy, March 24, 2007

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sword of the Deceiver (Isavalta, Book 4) (Hardcover)

The Hastinapura Empire has been the superpower ruling Isavalta with its military might and has forced its neighbors to pay tribute for five centuries. While celebrating her womanhood rite with her family before she royally marries, Sindhu Princess Natharie learns that the Empire demands her parents King Kiet and Queen Sitara send a regal human tribute. Father and daughter conclude the only reasonable person that would be acceptable as a hostage to Pearl Throne Emperor Chandra is her as why else would he time his demand as the rite of passage begins. Thus on what should have been a most joyous occasion, Natharie instead start a dangerous journey.

At the Hastinapura court, everyone ignores the teenage barbarian from the south as being beneath them, This enables Natharie to learn that her host and his followers worship the Mothers, whose gory abusive High Priest, Divakesh has begun a campaign to bring his religion to the outer nations including Sindhu. Her only hope to save her family and her people from a massacre resides with Chandra's brother Prince Samudra, but he just returned home after a one year diplomatic mission and his influence has been superseded exponentially by Divakesh.

Fans of romance and epic political fantasies will cherish this terrific Isavalta saga that can stand alone yet also adds to the lore of the previous tales (see THE FIREBIRD'S VENGEANCE). The action is fast and furious as the countdown for a blitzkrieg backed by religious fervor is nearing the doomsday second with only two people trying to prevent a bloody ethnic cleansing even as their love for one another blossoms but takes a back seat to saving the lives of innocent people. Sarah Zettel shows she is a superior fantasist.

Harriet Klausner