Synopses & Reviews
When a friendly competition leads to the death of a beloved horse and incurs the wrath of the Horse Goddess, the kingdoms of the island of Tir Isarnagiri are doomed to suffer. As the goddess' curse chases them down the years, four friends destined for kingship-Conal, Emer, Darag, and Ferdia-are forced into conflict as their countries build towards war.
Matters are complicated when Emer and Conal fall in love, and dream of escaping together from the machinations of their respective families. But Conal and Ferdia are rivals for the High Kingship of the island, and Conal cannot simply leave. The contest between them will lead to a visionary quest on a mountain sacred to the gods-and terrifying to men.
Yet Emer faces an even greater struggle. For when war finally comes, Emer has two choices: perform her duty to the homeland to which she owes everything, or protect the one she loves and be branded a traitor forever. The path she takes will become the stuff of legend, and forever alter the destiny of Tir Isarnagiri.
Set in the world of Jo Walton's previous novels, The King's Peace and The King's Name, this book takes us to a shining era of dark powers, legendary heroes and passionate loves-all of them ruled by the hand of Fate.
Review
"Moving...Fine work." --
Publishers Weekly (starred review) on
The King's Name"The pacing is brisk, the emotional impact great. Walton is making page-turners out of her take on Arthur's Britain." --Booklist on The King's Name
"Walton writes with an authenticity that never loses heart, a rare combination in a genre where we are so often offered one or the other." --Robin Hobb
Review
"Best installment yet."
--Kirkus Reviews "Walton sure-handedly evokes a primitive realm where the Otherworld seamlessly impinges upon reality, bringing sounds, smells, sorrow, hatred and burning love to life as powerfully as the thrust of a barbed spear. She also captures the terrible beauty of a warrior race in an outworn time, struggling, in Yeats's phrase, to come clear of the eternal nets of wrong and right."
--Publishers Weekly
Review
"Best installment yet."
--Kirkus Reviews "Walton sure-handedly evokes a primitive realm where the Otherworld seamlessly impinges upon reality, bringing sounds, smells, sorrow, hatred and burning love to life as powerfully as the thrust of a barbed spear. She also captures the terrible beauty of a warrior race in an outworn time, struggling, in Yeats's phrase, to come clear of the eternal nets of wrong and right."
--Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
The new novel of Tir Isarnagiri from the acclaimed author of
The King's PeaceSynopsis
Jo Walton's first two novels,
The King's Peace and
The King's Name, earned her widespread praise and moved her to the front rank of contemporary fantasists. Now she returns with a powerful epic set in the same world.
The Prize in the Game is the tale of the intertwined fates of four friends, destined for kingship but riven by rivalry and war. Gods stalk the island of Tir Isarnagiri, laying subtle and inescapable dooms upon the feuding kingdoms there. And to those gods, the cares of men and women are less than nothing--but still men and women strive to defy their fates and build destinies of their own.
When a friendly competition leads to the death of a beloved horse and incurs the wrath of the Horse Goddess, the stage is set for a deadly game of politics, love, and betrayal. And as the goddess's curse chases them down the years, Conal, Emer, Darag, and Ferdia will find that ties of friendship, and even love, may not be enough to prevent their respective countries from attacking each other in a war that will devastate the island.
The Prize in the Game takes us to a shining era of dark powers, legendary heroes, and passionate loves--all of them ruled by the hand of Fate.
About the Author
Jo Walton won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer on publication of her debut novel The King's Peace. Her novel Tooth and Claw won the World Fantasy Award. A native of Wales, she lives in Montreal.