- Hardcover: 384 pages
- Publisher: Tor Books; 1 edition (Dec 26 2006)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0765305658
- ISBN-13: 978-0765305657
- Product Dimensions: 21.3 x 13.7 x 3.6 cm
- Shipping Weight: 454 g
- Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #546,921 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. At the start of Haydon's lyrical sixth installment in her sweeping saga of musical magic and ancient prophecies (after 2004's Elegy for a Lost Star), the dragons of the world gather to mourn the loss of one of their oldest and greatest—whose demise leaves a weakness in their protective shield of the Earth. Ashe and Rhapsody, the Lord and Lady of Cymrian, also convene with their allies to prepare for the war looming between deadly powers that could tear the world apart. Rhapsody has the added distraction of caring for their infant son, Meridion, for as the heir to Cymrian the baby is an obvious target; he may also be the Child of Time, whose coming will change the world—and perhaps even the nature of Time itself. While deftly managing a large cast of intriguing characters in a story that's both grand and intimate but never predictable, Haydon moves all the pieces into place for the next volume. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
The sixth Symphony of Ages novel portends a turning point. A mysterious figure wanders about reciting, among other things, the true name of Achmed, the assassin king of Yloc--and all good fantasy readers know that names have power. Meanwhile, a conclave of dragons, few in number but vastly powerful, plots. Achmed calls a council of war, and he and his advisers agree that war is coming, on a scale that should make the trilogy that will almost certainly follow this book thoroughly gripping. Haydon isn't the greatest fantasist, but her characterization skills and her use of folkloric material have steadily improved. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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Most helpful customer reviews
0 of 3 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars
Doesn't Measure Up,
By
This review is from: The Assassin King (Mass Market Paperback)
Before you read this entire review, you should know: I never finished the book. I tried several times to renew my enthusiasm in the series but ultimately came up short. I made it about halfway.That being said, I will tell you why I could not finish it. I would have to go back to the original series to make a full comparison, but it seems to me that they had a sense of doom associated with the plot that really helped it along. Here, there is no reason to care. I could not care about the characters any more. Haydon attempts to develop new characters to no avail: the fellow with no use of his legs is always described as a gruff soldier but is in a perpetual state of melt-heartedness, belying the description. The nephew Gwydion has inexplicably matured with no process or reason, as has his sister, whose name escapes me. I can't care about characters who act or grow arbitrarily to fit the needs of the plot. Perhaps the problem is that between reading Elegy for a Lost Star and Assassin King, I happened upon many authors who got me accustomed to a different style of fantasy. Lately I've been reading a lot of R. Scott Bakker, Steven Erikson, and George RR Martin. When put next to these masters, Haydon sounds horribly juvenile, especially in the dialogue of her characters. I had to put the book down several times, bewildered by the things that came out of the characters mouths. That being said, Bakker, Erikson, and Martin may not be to your liking if you are looking at this book; they are very gritty and dark. In that light, I really must recommend Robin Hobb. I won't waste time singing her praises, since you can skip on over to one of her books and see the praise there.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
3.6 out of 5 stars (26 customer reviews) 13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Finally!,
By Jena - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Assassin King (Hardcover)
For those that are fans of the Symphony of Ages series it has been a long wait for this book. I am ecstatic that it has finally come out and I was not disappointed by it. I can only hope that there will be a shorter wait for the next in the series.The story of The Assassin King begins shortly after where the previous book in the series, Elegy for a Lost Star, left off. This is a crucial moment in the storyline of the series. The world is starting to unravel and it is up to the heroes, including Rhapsody, Grunthor and Achmed, to fight for their world. It is nice to have the three main characters together as a team again. The Assassin King is a pivotal point in the series that sets the foundation for the future storyline. As a result of this it does not have the same sense of "completeness" as the previous books in the series. This is not a negative criticism because it is a necessary step for the continuing narrative, but I would like to forewarn people. I would have liked to spend more time with Rhapsody, Grunthor and Achmed, but because of the multiple story threads that are taking place, that are necessary to establish, this was not possible. Because of the set-up Haydon has done in The Assassin King I am optimistic that the next book will see these characters more at the center. The Assassin King plays a crucial role in the development of the overall storyline, but at the same time has a lot of good elements that stand by themselves. I highly recommend this book and the entire series. This book has fed my craving for the Symphony of Ages series and has whetted my appetite for more! 12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
At Last!,
By G. Greene - Published on Amazon.com
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This review is from: The Assassin King (Hardcover)
The long wait for the next installment in the Symphony of the Ages is finally over, and while I'm a little disappointed that this book is primarily a building block for the next one, I am more than happy to catch up with Grunthor and Achmed, my two favorite characters (not that there was enough of them, but some is better than nothing). Additionally, we now have Rath, who is quite intriguing in his own right and a challenger worthy of Achmed, and the F'dor have returned in force.The Assassin King is somewhat episodic, and many other new characters are introduced, while previously minor ones are expanded. But what this book lacks in flowing plot, it more than makes up for in brilliant, evocative narrative. Haydon is a master at creating atmosphere and characters, and the sheer virtuosity of her writing is a great pleasure to read. I'm still waiting to see the world that Meridion changes when he alters time, but there are many other adventures to be had in the meantime. Let's just hope that the wait between books is not so long this time, since many more questions were asked than answered. Great read and highly recommended! 7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Long Awaited and Well Worth It!,
By Mark Hartnett "BookLord" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Assassin King (Hardcover)
I have been waiting for this book for more than a year, but the wait was well worth it. The Publishers Weekly review is much closer than the one from Midwest/Klausner. Elizabeth Haydon has been the master of words and images in epic fantasy for a while, not just an endless stream of plot points. Whether she is describing a horrible seige to a holy city or the tiniest details of an underground hive a forgotten bees, you can literally see the pictures she is painting. My favorite character in her series, Achmed the Snake, is back in all his sarcastic, obnoxious force, as are Grunthor and Rhapsody in a return to the old days of the Three, plus an infant that has the ability to step in and out of time but can only communicate the way a real baby can. While it does take a chapter or two toward the beginning to catch up to what is going on, the book flies from there. I read it in two long sittings and am about to start it again, so I can enjoy a great discussion with all the other Achmed fans who've been drooling for this for years. Highly recommended.
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