The Waterless Sea (Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy) [Library Binding]

Kate Constable (Author)

Book Description

Series: Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy | Publication Date: May 22, 2008

The second novel in the captivating Chanters of Tremaris trilogy follows Calwyn and her friends to the desolate Merithuran Empire. As they search for a group of kidnapped children who have the gift of chantment, they must negotiate both the unforgiving desert and the even more treacherous Palace of cobwebs, where they uncover the dreadful secret that holds the Empire together. Meanwhile, Darrow has broken away from the group to form a new alliance of his own. Can he still be trusted? In this audiobook, Calwyn's quest for peace and justice has greater consequences than she ever could have imagined.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In this tightly woven sequel to The Singer of all Songs, Calwyn and Co., still flush from their success in defeating the evil sorcerer Samis, are now on their way to the Empire of Merithuros. There, they hope to rescue two small siblings who were stolen away from Heben, a fallen prince with a decidedly suspicious nature toward magic makers. Within the lighter-than-air walls of Merithuros’ Palace of Cobwebs, Calwyn finds the children she seeks, but also a terrible secret of how these children and many others have been used and abused by the Empire for their power of chantment. Meanwhile, Darrow, Calwyn’s mysterious mentor and friend, has gone off on a lonely quest to decide the fate of the powerful ruby ring he pried from the dead Samis’s finger. The two will finally meet again within the walls of the Black Palace, where Darrow will declare his feelings, and Calwyn will lose all she holds dear, in the dry desert world of the waterless sea.

The Waterless Sea is the rich centerpiece of the Chanters of Tremaris trilogy; answering questions raised in the first book, while piquing interest in the eagerly awaited third novel. Young readers will have their curiosity about Darrow’s troubled past satisfied, even as they are left hanging in a quietly desperate ending that finds Darrow and Calwyn separated once again. While awaiting the third volume, Tremaris enthusiasts can ease their fantasy jones by checking out the similarly fine Gifts by Ursula K. Le Guin. (Ages 10-14) —Jennifer Hubert --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up–Picking up within six months of the end of The Singer of All Songs (Scholastic, 2004), Constable has created a worthy sequel. While Darrow has temporarily removed himself from the others to sort out some thorny personal issues, Calwyn and her friends are trying to liberate five chanter children who are being held in the Palace of Cobwebs in Merithuros. Without realizing it, Calwyn has led the others into a much bigger, and more dangerous, struggle for power between the Army and an oppressed rebel faction. Through alternating chapters, Darrow's past history and conflicting emotions regarding Samis are revealed, yet his response to power is still a surprise. Constable's writing is more refined in this book, her setting more detailed, and her main characters are taking fuller shape (particularly Halasaa and Calwyn). Though predictable in a few parts, and with some flat secondary characters, The Waterless Sea is a well-written story and an excellent fantasy, pulling together issues of identity, belonging, equality, and the environment in a world not so very different, perhaps, from our own.–Melissa Moore, Union University Library, Jackson, TN
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.

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Product Details

• Library Binding: 314 pages
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1435288092
• ISBN-13: 978-1435288096
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,581,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful sequel to The Singer of All Songs., November 7, 2004

By 

Rebecca Herman (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Waterless Sea (Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy, Book 2) (Hardcover)

Calwyn and her friends have traveled to the deserts of Merithuros, a harsh, dry, and desolate land, in search of the Palace of Cobwebs. While searching for evidence of chantment there, they learn that children have been kidnapped and are being forced to use their magical gifts against their wills. Meanwhile, Darrow, who is having difficulty coming to terms with his past after their encounter with Samis, the evil sorcerer who hopes to control their land of Tremaris, forms his own alliance with a group of rebels. Now, Calwyn begins to wonder if she can even trust him anymore.

I was very eager to read this book, the second in the Chanter of Tremaris trilogy, because I absolutely loved the story and characters of the first book. I am happy to say I was not disappointed. I recommend this book to all readers who enjoyed the first book, and teen readers who enjoy fantasy should definitely give this trilogy a try. I can't wait to read the final book, The Tenth Power.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Suspense through and through, June 3, 2005

By 

Gary H. Cassel "Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews" (Baltimore, MD, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Waterless Sea (Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy, Book 2) (Hardcover)

Calwyn and her other chanter friends are out on a routine run. Their job is to put an end to piracy. Heben is a captive in a pirate ship. His goal is to find chanters that can help him free his twin siblings. They meet.



Calwyn has never been herself since Darrow left. When Heben comes to her and her friends with his request for help, she can hardly refuse. Maybe it will take her mind off Darrow for a while. She has no idea what she is about to begin. Rescuing chanter children is no easy matter. Especially when, as Calwyn ventually finds out, one is being held in a palace and the other is in the lair of the iron chanters. Darrow knows he has to help her. He knows what it is like to live in the Black Palace and the dangers that come with it. When Calwyn rescues the children and, using new-found powers, begins the healing of Merithuros to prevent a war, she doesn't realize what she is about to lose. Her worst fears might have become reality after ll.



The Waterless Sea is suspense through and through. Fantasy, love, danger, and friends intertwine to create a masterpiece. Kate Constable paints vivid pictures in your mind. She shows you everything, even the character's expressions and feelings. You feel as if you are three different people all at once. You feel different emotions; you see different things, and yet it's as if you aren't in the least confused by it. It seems natural. The Waterless Sea is so different from any other book that the reader almost expects the same feelings the next time he/she picks up a book. You love the tons of different feelings running through you, and yet you hate them too. You want something to happen; you're sure it's going to; every sense in
your body encourages the words to be as they want them, but it is never as you want. Something different and unexpected happens each time. When you come to the end of the book, which is by no means the end of the adventure, you reread the end again and again, unbelieving. You almost feel like if you read it again, it will change, but it never does. Readers will have a hard time waiting for the third in the Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy.



Reviewed by a Flamingnet Student Reviewer at www.flamingnet.com

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the work of a true storyteller, April 28, 2005

By 

John Rogers ClarkIV "Seawizard" (Hartland, ME United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Waterless Sea (Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy, Book 2) (Hardcover)

Kate Constable has, if anything, surpassed her first book, The Singer of All Songs. The Waterless Sea pulls you in very quickly and takes you on an immersive journey through a fully developed world. Like the first book, both the physical world and all the characters are deep and rich. On those few occasions when one of the players might edge towards the line that separates three dimensional characters from caricatures, the author keeps the story on a very tight leash and pulls you along, involved and enmeshed. For a real treat, listen to both books on unabridged audio and the world of Tremaris will become even richer and more real. I can't wait for the next installment.