The Firebird's Vengeance: A Novel of Isavalta (Isavalta, Book 3) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Sarah Zettel (Author) "Bridget Lederle stood under a canopy in the icy spring rain waiting for a fox..." (more)
Key Phrases: lord sorcerer, court sorcerers, scroll room, Mae Shan, Tsan Nu, Aunt Grace (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A Sorcerer's Treason is a sumptuous tale of subtle magic, malevolent sorcery and twisted loyalties where nothing is at it first appears--I can guarantee you won't regret venturing into Sarah Zettel's world."
--Sara Douglass, author of The Wayfarer Redemption

"A Sorcerer's Treason is a gem of a book, artfully blending the windswept magic of late 19th-century Lake Superior with that of the mystical realm of Isavalta. Sarah Zettel's vision of both places is keen, her worldbuilding refreshing and original, her plot unpredictable and her characters multi-dimensional. The journeys across time, layers of court intrigue, haunting magic and crisp depiction of setting make for an extremely enjoyable read."
--Elizabeth Haydon, author of Prophecy

"Zettel seems to be just as adept at fantasy as she has already proven herself in science fiction."
--Chronicle

Product Description

Magic and the force of destiny propelled Bridget Lederle across the void between worlds, through the Land of Death and Spirit, to the world of Isavalta, where she discovered secrets about herself and her family that had been hidden since before her birth. It seems like only yesterday that a charismatic stranger swept her from her home on the shore of Lake Superior and took her on an impossible journey to a strange, bejeweled world where sorcery could spring from the simplest of patterns, with most serious effect.

In Isavalta she also discovered magical powers she had never suspected she possessed before her transit between the worlds. More than self-knowledge has changed her: she is in love with Sakra, a powerful sorcerer and her staunch ally. And she learns that her daughter, who she thought was lost to her, is alive.

But that daughter is also the pawn in a dangerous game of power and politics. The powerful spells of a ruler intent on conquest threaten to destroy both mother and daughter. Torn between the contending forces of magic and empire, Bridget lives an extraordinary adventure replete with unimaginable dangers. Beset by enemies on all sides, she must rely on the aid of supernatural forces she can't control, lest she be destroyed by a fate she cannot imagine.

The Firebird's Vengeance is a finalist for the RITA Award for Best Epic Romantic Fantasy

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Tor Fantasy (June 28, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765347237
• ISBN-13: 978-0765347237
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #948,914 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 3 in The Isavalta Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant conclusion to excellent trilogy, October 3, 2004

By	Kotori (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Firebird's Vengeance: A Novel of Isavalta (Hardcover)

Brigets story resumes with the revelation that Briget's daughter Anna is alive - knowing this she will allow nothing to hinder her search for her daughter.

The landscape is in ruins as the Firebird is released and wreaks vengenance on those who have allowed it's captivity for so long, and both Isavalta and the Seven Kingdoms.

In a devestating world of fire, flame and demons, Anna must find the strength to free herself from her captivity as her father Valin Kalami seeks to control her even beyond the grave.

The spirit world have a vested interest in events, and interfere sometimes benevolently and occasionally malign.

Preponderance of wonderful characters throughout and my favorite is Anna's bodyguard, a dedicated and honour bound young (female) soldier ... the romance between Briget and Sorcha, only hinted at in the first book, is an enjoyable plus.

It is interesting that the characters motives are so very justified, from Medeoan to Kasha to the sorceror who is Anna's father - a little bit like the misguided attempts of some revolutionists or freedom fighters who cause so much tragedy in our world. The author does an excellent job of making even the villians sypmathetic.

Brilliant - I was devestated when I finished.
Kotori - [e-mail]

5.0 out of 5 stars The Firebird's Vengeance, March 27, 2008

By	Sue Beebe "Beebe, a book lover" (La Pine, OR) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Firebird's Vengeance : A Novel of Isavalta (Isavalta) (Hardcover)

This is a great book as are the previous two in this series. I love the mystic elements of theses books and I shall look forward to reading other books by this author.

4.0 out of 5 stars Much improved compared to the first two, March 14, 2007

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

"The Firebird's Vengeance" is the third novel in Zettel's Isavalta trilogy, but picks up shortly after the events in "A Sorcerer's Treason" (since "The Usurper's Crown" was more of a prequel). Bridget has returned to Isvalta to build a life there, but that is quickly thrown into turmoil once more when she learns that the Firebird has vowed revenge against Isavalta and Hung-Tse, and that the daughter she thought was long dead may still be alive.

The daughter, Anna, is in fact still alive, and the story follows her travels through a good portion of the book. She is accompanied by her guard, Mae Shan, who I thought was one of the best characters that Zettel has created in this series. She makes a far better heroine than Bridget or Ingrid, and I was mostly interested in her story, and her interaction with Anna and the others. Mae Shan is intelligent, strong, quick-witted, resourceful, and compassionate, but still maintains a vulnerability that makes her easy to sympathize with. Anna as well is very likeable, and despite her power, a believable child.

Other storylines involve Bridget and Sakra as they simultaneously search for Anna and try to discover a way to stop the Firebird; Mikkel and Ananda as they deal with the unrest in their kingdom; Grace as she finally faces what's happening to her family; and of course, the spirit powers who are still vaguely defined and yet controlling many of the outcomes in the novel.

Once again, some of the issues I had with the previous novel are still there. The spirit powers, for one, who actively influence events but never reveal their reasonings are still annoying. It simply results in their use as plot devices, to present problems or offer tidy solutions without any real explanation. The use of magic is also still very erratic.

But other than that, the story itself is actually very engrossing. The depth of characterization has improved, as has the writing style, which flows more easily now. I'd say this was a lot better than the prior novels, and was a very satisfying read.