The Siren Depths: The Third Book of the Raksura (The Books of the Raksura) [Paperback]

Martha Wells (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 4, 2012 | Series: The Books of the Raksura

All his life, Moon roamed the Three Worlds, a solitary wanderer forced to hide his true nature — until he was reunited with his own kind, the Raksura, and found a new life as consort to Jade, sister queen of the Indigo Cloud court. But now a rival court has laid claim to him, and Jade may or may not be willing to fight for him. Beset by doubts, Moon must travel in the company of strangers to a distant realm where he will finally face the forgotten secrets of his past, even as an old enemy returns with a vengeance. The Fell, a vicious race of shape-shifting predators, menaces groundlings and Raksura alike. Determined to crossbreed with the Raksura for arcane purposes, they are driven by an ancient voice that cries out from . . . .The siren depths.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Martha Wells is the author of fourteen fantasy novels, including The Wizard Hunters, The Ships of Air, The Gate of Gods, The Element of Fire, and the Nebula-nominated The Death of the Necromancer. Her newest novel, The Cloud Roads, was published in March 2011 by Night Shade Books, and the sequel, The Serpent Sea, in January 2012. Her next fantasy novels will be The Siren Depths, to be published by Night Shade in December 2013, and Emilie and the Hollow World, to be published by Strange Chemistry Books in April 2013. She has had short stories in the magazines Black Gate, Realms of Fantasy, Lone Star Stories, and Stargate Magazine, and in the Tsunami Relief anthology Elemental. She has also written two media-tie-in novels, Stargate Atlantis: Reliquary and Stargate Atlantis: Entanglement.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Night Shade Books (December 4, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597804401
• ISBN-13: 978-1597804400
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.8 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #367,865 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Martha Wells is the author of fourteen fantasy novels, including Wheel of the Infinite, City of Bones, The Element of Fire, and the Nebula-nominated The Death of the Necromancer. Her most recent fantasy novels are The Cloud Roads (Night Shade Books, March 2011), The Serpent Sea (Night Shade Books, January 2012), and The Siren Depths, (Night Shade Books, December 2012). Her YA fantasy, Emilie and the Hollow World, will be published by Strange Chemistry Books in April 2013, and her Star Wars novel will be published in October 2013.

She has also written a fantasy trilogy: The Wizard Hunters, The Ships of Air, and The Gate of Gods, all currently out in paperback from HarperCollins Eos. She has had short stories in the magazines Black Gate, Realms of Fantasy, Lone Star Stories, and Stargate Magazine, and in the Tsunami Relief anthology Elemental. She has essays in the nonfiction anthologies Farscape Forever, Mapping the World of Harry Potter, and Chicks Unravel Time. She has also written two media-tie-in novels, Stargate Atlantis: Reliquary and Stargate Atlantis: Entanglement. Her books have been published in eight languages, including French, Spanish, German, Russian, and Dutch, and her web site is www.marthawells.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the series December 4, 2012

By Professor J

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

In this episode of Days of Our Draconic Lives, Moon's more or less settled into life at Indigo Cloud, although he's anxious because he and Jade haven't managed to make a clutch yet despite lots of enthusiastic attempts. But before Stone can slap him in the head and tell him to chillax, gasp! Visitors arrive with stunning news! The mystery of Moon's birth-court has been solved! But, er, there's a problem (of course). They want him back. And by the vagaries of Raksuran custom, Moon has no choice but to leave Indigo Cloud and go meet the people who may well have deliberately abandoned him to die as a child.

This was probably the most emotional of the Books of the Raksura, which is probably why it's my favorite so far of the three. Moon -- not the most emotionally together guy at the best of times -- has to muddle his way through a morass of his feelings for Jade, his fears about the future, his anger about his past, other people's hatred of him, and more. As if that's not enough to deal with, the Fell are back with a vengeance... along with something worse. Along the way, though, Wells treats us to the same wonders and horrors that make us love and fear the Three Worlds: amazing ancient cities, magical airships, genteel monsters, breathtakingly badass women, obnoxiously badass grandpas, and truly heartrending moments of pain and beauty.

If you even slightly liked either of the two preceding books, make sure you read this one. Seriously.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent third entry to the Books of the Raksura December 4, 2012

By Jvstin VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Moon has led a varied existence in the first two books of the Raksura (The Cloud Roads and The Serpent Sea). He has learned that he is not a freak of nature, but is instead part of a complex and interesting race of beings...and an important one, even given his feral nature. He has learned to slowly adapt himself into the world of a Raksuran Court, Indigo Cloud, and shed some of his hesitancy and reluctance to engage with others and build relationships. He has faced the implacable enemies, aided his clan in picking up stakes and moving back to their ancestral homeland of The Reaches. Moon has learned to deal with the rival Court Emerald Twilight, and learned much about himself in the process.

Now, though, a rival Court, Opal Night, exercises a claim on Moon -- one based on their contention that Moon's mysterious and shrouded origins actually tie back to them. But why does such a large and powerful Court want or even need Moon, anyway? It can't be as simple as a power play on the small court of Indigo Cloud -- so what secrets could Opal Night be hiding?

And The Fell are on the move. Worse, they have a plan that could spell danger not only for Opal Night, not only for Indigo Cloud, but for the entirety of the Reaches and beyond.

I had believed that the Books of the Raksura ended with The Serpent Sea but I joyfully have been proven wrong. In The Siren Depths, Wells brings us full circle and, in a real sense, back to the beginning. Since the start of the Books of the Raksura series in The Cloud Roads, the story of Moon's origins has been a simple if murky one. He's been alone for years, the Raksura that raised him killed long ago. He had no idea what he even was until Stone, the line-grandfather for Indigo Cloud, discovered him.... There are a seemingly limitless number of sentient humanoid species in the universe of the Three Worlds, after all, although his shapeshifting was something Moon kept a deep secret, even among those he lived with and loved, for obvious reasons. Moon's lack of knowledge of the full story of his origins with the Raksura has has been a Chekov's Gun that has remained unfired all of this time. In The Siren Depths we discover where Moon came from, why he and his mother were alone and how that ties into the social web of relationships among the Raksura. In addition to revelations of Moon's past and what it means for his present, The Siren Depths marks the return of The Fell from The Cloud Roads. In a nice braiding of plots, the return of the Fell is not unrelated to the reason why Opal Night has demanded Moon be repatriated to their Court, and why and how Moon came to be in the first place.

There is a lot to like in The Siren Depths. The greatest strength of the novel has been one of the strengths of the entire series, and that's the social dynamics of the Raksura, as seen from Moon's outsider's perspective. It is a testament to the complexity of these relationships, and how well done the worldbuilding is, that three books into the series Moon and the readers are still learning and discovering nuances, complexities and features and aspects of the world of a Raksuran Court. Even seemingly throwaway lines add to the nuances of what life is like among the Raksura. I hesitate to reveal these, for fear of giving away the joy of readers discovering them on their own.

And, as always, the writing is strong, bright and clear. The voices of the characters are all nicely distinct, in tone and style of speaking as much as other cues. The suite of new characters hold up well, and the three main courts we see in the novel (Indigo Cloud, Emerald Twilight and Opal Night) together show a range of characters and relationships.

What didn't work in the novel for me? The greatest weakness I found in the novel is the pacing of the final section. The first two-thirds of the novel set up our conflicts and situation very well, with Moon being shipped off to Opal Night, learning his true past, and dealing with the consequences of who and what we is. In addition, the threat of the Fell is established and looms over the narrative and its characters like a Sword of Damocles. When push comes to shove though, there is a little too much economy in the amount of pages and time spent with that conflict. The story beats are all there, mind you, but it just feels a little too abbreviated as compared to the rest of the book. The payoff doesn't feel as large as it should be. What this resulted in is this reader being more invested and more interested in the Court interactions than the "A" plot of the Fell (from which the title of the book gets its name).

Although this novel nicely rounds out the story of Moon and the rest of the Raksura, there is still plenty more to explore with these characters, and the Three World setting in general. If and when should the author return, I would absolutely be up to immerse myself in this rich secondary world fantasy setting again.

And for readers who haven't tried Wells' Books of the Raksura, this is definitely not the place to start, especially because of how much it does reveal of Moon's origins and history. Start with The Cloud Roads and see for yourself the wonders the author can show you. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars brilliant. November 27, 2012

By kat heatherington

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Martha Wells is amazing. The 3rd book in the Raksura series fully delivers on the promise of the first two. It's poignant enough to make you cry, thoughtful and thought-provoking, funny, fast-moving and action packed as always. and, central to all of Wells work is her brilliant character building. as another reviewer said, i re-read these books for the people. I took the opportunity to re-read the first two books of the Raksura when I received the Siren Depths, just for the pleasure of going back to that complex and detailed world and re-experiencing it through Moon's eyes. I am delighted by Moon's personal growth and the deepening of his relationship with his culture & society. And Jade! i also continue to absolutely adore the inverted gender dynamics of Raksuran society. i love it that Moon spends some time worrying if he's pretty enough, and things like that. some of it's bold and funny, and some of it's subtle, and all of it is a very nice mirror to the assumptions we live under.

As in the first two books, the lush descriptions of this highly original world are simply breathtaking. i want to go live in a mountain-tree now. and have wings. of course.

Highest reccomendation.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Alien Ugly Duckling Finds His Place December 22, 2012

By Margaret A. Davis

Format:Paperback

This was my favorite of the Raksura trilogy. In book two, a queen from a different court recognizes Moon's birth family upon seeing him. When his original court is contacted, they were not only glad he was alive but they demanded his immediate return!

Moon is taken to his ancestral court by a queen from the court that had recognized his bloodline. Jade isn't allowed to accompany them but promises Moon that she will not be far behind and will formally ask for what amounts to his hand in marriage from his ancestral court. But Jade's not there when Moon's party finally arrives after being delayed en route.

And, just to make it interesting, the Fell are about to attack again and wipe out a nearby village.

Moon's choices appear to be accepting a queen from his birth court, leaving again and striking out on his own and turning his back on all Raksura, or hoping that Jade will finally show up to negotiate for him.

Much adventure ensues as events unfold. Long-kept secrets are finally told. And Moon finds out whether he has a place in Raksuran society or not, after all.

Suffice it to say that I was very sorry for this trilogy to come to an end. I had really enjoyed spending time with these characters in this world. Would love to see them again even if only in short stories or novellas!