Prisoner of the Iron Tower: Book Two of The Tears of Artamon

A weaver of tales, a caster of spells, and a writer of rare imagination, Sarah Ash lends her unique vision to epic fantasy. In this captivating continuation to her story, the author of Lord of Snow and Shadows revisits a realm filled with spirits and singers, daemons and kings.Gavril Nagarian has finally cast out the dragon-daemon from deep within himself. The Drakhaoul is gone--and with it all of Gavril's fearsome powers. Though no longer besieged by the Drakhaoul's unnatural lusts and desires, Gavril has betrayed his birthright and his people. He has put the ice-bound princedom of Azhkendir at risk and lost.Emerging from his battle with the Lord Drakhaon scarred but victorious, Eugene of Tielen exacts a terrible price. He arrests the renegade warlord Gavril Nagarian for crimes against the Rossiyan Empire and sentences him to life in an insane asylum--for the absence of the Drakhaoul is slowly driving Gavril mad. But Eugene has another motive as well. He longs to possess the Drakhaoul--at any cost to his kingdom and his humanity. With Gavril locked inside the Iron Tower, three women keep his memory alive. His mother returns to the warmer climes of her homeland, where she foments the seeds of rebellion. A young scullery maid whose heart is broken by Gavril's arrest sends her spirit out to the Ways Beyond. And even the emperor's new wife is haunted by her remembrances of the handsome young painter who once captured her soul.The five princedoms of a shattered empire are reunited. The last of Artamon's ruby tears adorns Eugene's crown. But peace is as fragile as a rebel's whisper--and a captive's wish to be free.Glowing with the powers of light and darkness, Prisoner of the Iron Tower will astonish and enthrall you, as courtly intrigue collides with the fantastic--and good and evil become as nebulous as the outlines of a dream.From the Hardcover edition.

A weaver of tales, a caster of spells, and a writer of rare imagination, Sarah Ash lends her unique vision to epic fantasy. In this captivating continuation to her story, the author of Lord of Snow and Shadows revisits a realm filled with spirits and singers, daemons and kings.

Gavril Nagarian has finally cast out the dragon-daemon from deep within himself. The Drakhaoul is gone—and with it all of Gavril’s fearsome powers. Though no longer besieged by the Drakhaoul’s unnatural lusts and desires, Gavril has betrayed his birthright and his people. He has put the ice-bound princedom of Azhkendir at risk and lost.

Emerging from his battle with the Lord Drakhaon scarred but victorious, Eugene of Tielen exacts a terrible price. He arrests the renegade warlord Gavril Nagarian for crimes against the Rossiyan Empire and sentences him to life in an insane asylum—for the absence of the Drakhaoul is slowly driving Gavril mad. But Eugene has another motive as well. He longs to possess the Drakhaoul—at any cost to his kingdom and his humanity. With Gavril locked inside the Iron Tower, three women keep his memory alive. His mother returns to the warmer climes of her homeland, where she foments the seeds of rebellion. A young scullery maid whose heart is broken by Gavril’s arrest sends her spirit out to the Ways Beyond. And even the emperor’s new wife is haunted by her remembrances of the handsome young painter who once captured her soul.

The five princedoms of a shattered empire are reunited. The last of Artamon’s ruby tears adorns Eugene’s crown. But peace is as fragile as a rebel’s whisper—and acaptive’s wish to be free.

Glowing with the powers of light and darkness, Prisoner of the Iron Tower will astonish and enthrall you, as courtly intrigue collides with the fantastic—and good and evil become as nebulous as the outlines of a dream.

Library Journal

Though he has conquered the Drakhaoul, the dragon-daemon that possessed him, Gavril Nagarian finds himself under arrest for treason and faces imprisonment in an insane asylum. As his country grows closer to war, Gavril realizes that Eugene of Tielen, the emperor, desires the Drakhaoul for himself and knows that he must gain his freedom to prevent a disaster. The flavor of Eastern Europe and old Russian folklore and culture gives this sequel to Lord of Snow and Shadows a distinctive atmosphere. For most libraries. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

A writer of rare imagination, Sarah Ash lends her unique vision to epic fantasy. In this captivating continuation of her saga, the author of Lord of Snow and Shadows revisits a realm filled with spirits and singers, daemons and kings. . . . Gavril Nagarian has finally cast out the dragon-daemon from within himself. The Drakhaoul is goneand with it all of Gavrils fearsome powers. No longer possessed, he is instead being driven mad by the Drakhaouls absence. Worse, he has betrayed his blood, his people, and put the ice-bound princedom of Azhkendir at riskand lost.At the mercy of the victorious Eugene of Tielen, Gavril issentenced to life in an insane asylum. For the power-hungry Eugene longs to possess a Drakhaoul of his own, and his prisoner seems the best way to achieve that goal. Meanwhile, a shattered empire reunites. But peace is as fragile as a rebels whisperand a captives wish to be free. . . . Praise for Prisoner of the Iron Tower A new fantasy series [that] will leave readersdrooling to get their hands on the sequel. Publishers Weekly Solid, wonderful fantasy, sparkling and imaginative! Booklist Ash takes her large and colorful cast of characters from horror to pathos, from triumph to betrayal, smoothly and convincingly. a roller-coaster ride of events and emotions in the best modern fantasy manner. Kirkus Reviews "After nearly killing the woman he loves, Gavril Nagarian succeeds in extricating himself from the bond that has tied him, body and soul, to a dragon-daemon. But in so doing, he betrays his countrymen, for without the daemon, Gavril is just an ordinary man, lacking magical powers and unable to defend his small holding against Eugene, would-be emperor of the five princedoms. Eugene wants more than a crown, however; he wants power and revenge, and when he unlocks the fabled Serpent's Gate, he gets all that he desires and, perhaps, a bit more than he can handle. He quickly learns that the power of the Drakhaoul can destroy not only his enemies but also his new empress and unborn child, his adored and badly crippled daughter--in short, everything he cares for. Even his own life is imperiled. But as the daemon gains strength and power, becoming one with its host, Eugene begins to lose sight of his most precious gift, his own human heart."--BOOKLIST Freed from possession by the Drakhaoul, Gavril Nagarian finds himself imprisoned and slowly descending into madness, a situation that is complicated by the annexing of his undefended lands