Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #552699 in Books
• Published on: 1999-03-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 599 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
After launching her career with the Blackbird sword-and-sorcery quartet (1986- 88), Freda Warrington turned to darker themes with a historical vampire trilogy that received critical praise. Now The Amber Citadel opens a new sequence in the classic epic-fantasy mould. Peace in the land of Aventuria depends on an ancient pact between the earth itself and its various races: humans, haughty elf-like aesthetes, kobold-like miners and a repugnant minority of faceless shapeshifters. The latter have twisted the mind of Aventuria's aging king and gradually lured him into mad actions ... a colossal monument to himself, enslavement of countless young subjects to build this Tower-of-Babel folly and gory black magic that hurts both the pact and the land. Warrington's story focuses on a young girl conscripted for slave labour and three friends from her village who follow in hope of rescuing her. Many others are entangled in the resulting pursuits, escapes, romantic interludes, grisly encounters and general bloodshed. The novel ends with a measure of victory bought at fearful cost--but offstage the vile shapeshifters are still plotting, and two-thirds of this "Jewelfire Trilogy" is yet to come. A colourful and nicely crafted fantasy of above-average quality. --David Langford

Synopsis
Set in the future, humans are forced to share the world with shape-changers from Bhahdradomen, and the mysterious Aelyr. When the shape-changers start a war, two sisters and two brothers from a quiet village find themselves about to be dragged into the conflict.

Customer Reviews

A book that can't be ignored!!!
I have read some of Freda Warrington's other books and thought I'd read this book. I'm not really a fan of fantasy and wasn't sure if I would like the book, but to my surprise I couldn't put it down!! The way she describes certain characters, and makes you wonder if you know everything about them is reveilled in the second book. I just find that an amazing talent, that she can put into the readers head that the chacter's not quite ready to trust. That there is something in their past you don't know!! I'd recomend this book to anyone, even if you're not fond of fantasy.

More fool them!
I followed one of those Amazon links, Customers who bought this book also bought ... Amber Citadel. I wonder if they were as disenchanted as I was. Another fantastic world - good - full of totally lame characters - bad- interacting in completely unbelievable ways - worse - who all spoke like teenagers from a good school ( except the Baddies: with names like Facilitor they spoke more like members of the teaching staff ) - worst. How do mere peasants get to hob-nob with lords, and marry royalty? Unconvincing and ultimately irritating.

Good, but not the best.
The storyline of "The Amber Citadel" is good, and it did keep me wanting to read more, but I felt it focused too much on the personal relationships of the characters than the actual plot. This is sort of explained in book two, which I have just finished reading. Since I have read book two and am waiting for the third book, you can tell it still gripped me, so don't think that I didn't like it. If Ms Warrington paid a little more attention to the events and made things like the battle more momentous, it would be better, but that's really the only improvement I can think to make on it. Having said all that, BUY THIS BOOK. Trust me, it's good.