Synopses & Reviews
At last, the story fantasy fans have been waiting for? Now in paperback. The incredible story that fans of The Sun Sword series have been waiting to read?the battle for control of House Terafin...
Orphaned and left to fend for herself in the slums of Averalaan, Jewel Markess?Jay to her friends?meets an unlikely savior in Rath, a man who prowls the ruins of the undercity in search of artifacts and treasure. Nursing Jay back to health is an unusual act for a man who renounced his own family long ago, and the situation becomes stranger still when Jay begins to form a den of other rescued children in Rath?s home. But worse perils lurk beneath the slums: the demons that once nearly destroyed the Essalieyan Empire are stirring again, and soon Rath and Jay will find themselves targets of these deadly and ruthless beings.
Review
Review
"House Name is lush, richly intricate, heartbreaking in its subtle dealings with Jay and her den. Jay is charismatic, deeply compelling, and her story kept me rooting for her.... The story sucked me in and didn't spit me out until the very end.… West has a brilliant hand in detail, in weaving in background to fuel the story without being clunky and boring, and in creating a luxuriously textured world that is at once familiar and strange. Some say Michelle West has been propelled into the ranks of George R. R. Martin and Robin Hobb—I say that she's been there all along and it's about time she was noticed as such." Night Owl Reviews
Review
"[City of Night] is a super action oriented investigative fantasy in an incredible world as Michelle West makes her empire and capital seem as if it comes from ancient history books rather than her imagination. The cast is strong especially the lead couple who are clearly devoted to one another with each wanting to keep the other safe. However, it is the city and its undercity that spellbinds the audience as no one knows what is coming to the surface from below." Alternative Worlds
Review
"Fans of award-winning Toronto fantasy writer Michelle West will be delighted with this return to the vivid and detailed universe of the Sacred Hunt and the Sun Sword series…. In a richly woven world, and with a cast of characters that ranges from traumatized street kids to the wealthy heads of the most prominent houses in Averalaan, West pulls no punches as she hooks readers in with her bold and descriptive narrative." Quill and Quire (for The Hidden City)
Review
"This is a compelling story with riveting and finely wrought characters that will keep you up well into the night. This story will go down as one of the best novels in its genre, propelling West into the ranks of Robin Hobb and George R.R. Martin. It's simply a great read, don't miss it." themaineedge.com (for The Hidden City)
Review
"I am glad I read it. It is out of the ordinary for a fantasy tale, and is a Hamlet rather than a Henry V." Grasping for the Wind (for The Hidden City)
Review
"Ms. West is able to develop in the reader a true sense of emotional connection to the characters. These are people who've been in my life since the late '90's and, like George R.R. Martin's characters, they feel like family. I'm much closer to Sagara's characters, but that's not surprising since that emotional attachment and the growth and development of the characters is central to the story of struggle.... I loved this book, as I've loved all of her books. If you're new to this kind of writing and have read George R.R. Martin's series and enjoyed it, I highly recommend these books."
Chaotic Compendiums (for Skirmish)
Review
"I really enjoyed this book. I’ve been waiting a long time to see what happens after the events covered by The Sun Sword and finally, we have it." Dear Author (for Skirmish)
Synopsis
In this epic fantasy series for fans of George R. R. Martin and Robin Hobb, Jewel Markess must contend with deadly court politics, and visions of looming magical threats.
When Jewel ATerafin returns home from the war in the South, she arrives moments too late to prevent the demonic assassination of Amarais ATerafin--The Terafin, head of House Terafin. Now the battle to become The Terafin and claim the House Seat will begin. Four candidates have declared themselves, but Jewel, The Terafin's own secretly designated choice to become the next head of the House, has yet to announce her intentions.
Jewel does not want to make any decisions before The Terafin is laid to rest. But as enemies of the House and Empire mobilize, it becomes terrifyingly clear that everyone--including Jewel and her otherworldly allies--must survive the three days of the funeral rites before they can even be certain there will be a House Terafin left to fight over....
Synopsis
At long last, Jewel is preparing to announce her candidacy to become the next Terafin and claim the House Seat. But it is a decision that has her targeted by demons who will stop at nothing to destroy Jewel and her allies as the House War begins...
Synopsis
The incredible story that fans of The Sun Sword series have been waiting to read-the battle for control of House Terafin-from a writer of "talent and depth."* Orphaned and left to fend for herself in the slums of Averalaan, Jewel Markess- Jay to her friends-meets an unlikely savior in Rath, a man who prowls the ruins of the undercity. Nursing Jay back to health is an unusual act for a man who renounced his own family long ago, and the situation becomes stranger still when Jay begins to form a den of other rescued children in Rath's home. But worse perils lurk beneath the slums: the demons that once nearly destroyed the Essalieyan Empire are stirring again, and soon Rath and Jay will find themselves targets of these unstoppable beings.
Synopsis
The brilliant new novel in The House War series. The House War series centers on the most popular character in The Sun Sword series: a young woman named Jewel, who survives both the everyday perils of being an orphan in the slums of the city of Averalaan, and the demonic dangers of the Undercity, and who rises to become a key figure in House Terafin, the most important of the Ten Houses of the Essalieyan Empire. At the close of The Sun Sword series, the House War is about to begin. Now, at last, that story can be told.
Synopsis
Once, Jewel was an orphan, struggling to survive in the slums of the realm until she was rescued by Rath and sent to live at House Terafin- the most powerful of the ruling Houses in the Essalieyan Empire. But as Jewel finds her place within the House, she becomes crucial to the Empire's survival in the demonic war that's about to begin...
Synopsis
Times are truly desperate within Averalaan's hundred holdings, and Jewel MArkess and her den are finding it hard to survive. Then suddenly their mentor Rath orders them to avoid the ancient Undercity beneath Averlaan's streets, cutting them off from their main source of income. Yet Rath himself refuses to heed the warnings of Jewel's seer dreams. Instead, he allies with the mages of the Order of Knowledge in a secret war against demonic foes, knowing he'll be targeted for death-or worse. In a last attempt to protect Jewel and her den, he writes a note of introduction to the head of House Terafin-the sister he's sworn never to contact. For only within then Terafin manse would the den stand a chance of escaping the unnatural forces reaching out to claim them...
Synopsis
Enter a "vivid and detailed universe"* and "a richly woven world."* -*Quill and Quire Demonic activity has escalated in both the Undercity and the mortal surface level city as the worshipers and servants of the Lord of the Hells strive to complete the rituals that will return their god to the mortal realm. As Rath joins with mages and the Twin Kings' agents to wage a secret battle against this nearly unstoppable foe, he gives Jewel Markess and her den of orphans the opportunity to escape the chaos by providing them with a note of introduction to the head of House Terafin, where Jewel will discover her destiny.
Synopsis
Skirmish takes readers into brand-new territory, beginning right after the conclusion of The Sun Sword. The Terafin has been assassinated by a demon, and the battle for the House Seat will now begin. Four candidates have declared themselves, but Jewel, the Terafins own choice to become the next Terafin, has yet to announce her intentions. By the time she does announce her candidacy, attempts have been made on her life by demons. She has also walked along and shut a magical road against some of the demons, while at the same time, shes acquired a number of nonhuman allies. But whether Jewel and her alliesboth mortal and magicalwill all survive the war that is now beginning is very much in question
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Synopsis
The incredible story that fans of The Sun Sword series have been waiting to read-the battle for control of House Terafin-from a writer of "talent and depth."* Orphaned and left to fend for herself in the slums of Averalaan, Jewel Markess- Jay to her friends-meets an unlikely savior in Rath, a man who prowls the ruins of the undercity. Nursing Jay back to health is an unusual act for a man who renounced his own family long ago, and the situation becomes stranger still when Jay begins to form a den of other rescued children in Rath's home. But worse perils lurk beneath the slums: the demons that once nearly destroyed the Essalieyan Empire are stirring again, and soon Rath and Jay will find themselves targets of these unstoppable beings.
Synopsis
The brilliant new novel in The House War series. The House War series centers on the most popular character in The Sun Sword series: a young woman named Jewel, who survives both the everyday perils of being an orphan in the slums of the city of Averalaan, and the demonic dangers of the Undercity, and who rises to become a key figure in House Terafin, the most important of the Ten Houses of the Essalieyan Empire. At the close of The Sun Sword series, the House War is about to begin. Now, at last, that story can be told.
About the Author
Michelle West is the author of three interconnected series: The Sacred Hunt duology, the six-volume Sun Sword series, and The House War novels. She has published numerous short stories, as well as fantasty novels, under her maiden name, Michelle Sagara. She was a two-time nominee for the Campbell Award. She works part-time at BAKKA Books, one of Toronto's larger bookstores, and writes a column for The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. She can contacted via her website, michellesagara.com.