Shadow Blizzard

Written by Alexey Pehov

Narrated by MacLeod Andrews

After the loss of friends and comrades, after betrayal and battle, master thief Shadow Harold finally enters Hrad Spein—the dreaded underground complex where the object of Harold’s quest, the Rainbow Horn, is hidden. With nothing more than his wits, the advice of a goblin shaman, and a stolen map, he must succeed where battalions of soldiers and wizards have failed. On top of that, Harold must outwit an enemy within Hrad Spein who is working with a powerful sorceress in an attempt to find the Horn before he does. Before the master thief are many dangerous obstacles—including ghouls, long-dead armies of elves, orcs, and magical traps...and, he is sure, even more deadly obstacles that are yet unknown. Will Shadow Harold be able to pull off the greatest theft in history?

Unfortunately, even if he does, he’ll not be home free. The Forest of Zagrabia, through which Harold must make his way home, is controlled by the armies of orcs that have come to join The Nameless One. For the first time in centuries, they have united into a vast army about to cut a bloody swath through the lands of men. Another huge army collected by The Nameless One has already begun the titanic battle with King Stalkon, and the ?nal war has begun, bringing bleak days of despair and devastation. Harold will have to use all his guile, cunning, and luck to find a way to escape the Labyrinth and get to Avendoom in time to save his world from destruction.

Alexey Pehov is an exciting new-generation talent whose fantasies have gained him a large and still rapidly increasing fan base in his native Russia. In 2002, the complete Chronicles of Siala (comprised of Shadow Prowler, Shadow Chaser, and Shadow Blizzard) was awarded the Russian fantasy community’s highest professional honor, the Silver Kaduzei.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Apr 24, 2012
• ISBN: 9781441814531

Alexey Pehov

Alexey Pehov is the award-winning author of The Chronicles of Siala, a bestselling series in his native Russia. His novel Under the Sign of the Mantikor was named Book of Year and Best Fantasy Novel in 2004 by Russia's largest fantasy magazine, World of Fantasy.

Reviews for Shadow Blizzard

[blodeuedd_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Where to begin? The journey started in previous books has come to an end, well ok not really. It's just getting started.

Harold (I do love thieves) and his gang are approaching Hrad Spein. Kli-Kli, it's always good with a comic relief, the dark elves, and human warriors are with him. And they have lost a lot of friends already. Pehov does have a way of killing off people. But then not all should make it, people must fall during the way cos it's a dangerous road so I liked that he is not afraid to do just that.

Much of the book takes places in the darkness that is Hrad Spein. Fights, horrors, revelations, all to save a kingdom and the world. So much more than others think are actually going on. The Dancers, the creators of world, the Houses, and the person that created Siala. Not to mention that Harold is supposed to be a dancer too, which means that he could create a world. He is such an unlikely hero and that makes him better.

The second part took place outside of Hrad. The quest is not yet done and more battles are to come. It's fighting and quest fantasy.

I did feel that there is so many more stories still to tell and I would like to stay in this world, but sadly this was the end of this trilogy. But Pehov has created a very interesting world, and a world I would he happy to visit again. And it feels like home too, it's a world I know, yet it's so very new.

Some of the fight scenes at the end did feel a bit jumpy, but eh, that's life and war. And something did happen that made me sad, but again that's life and sadness is needed in books too.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

There were parts of this that were interesting but overall I just felt that it was vignettes linked by a story that wasn't as coherent. It also read like a D&D session with at least one solo session for the rogue. The battle is somewhat obfuscated by having it as a dream and it ends with lot of questions for the future for the Rogue, our hero. It's not a bad read but it left me somewhat dissatisfied.

[elysianfield_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars

Large part of the book is about Harold and his quest through Hrad Spein. It’s also called as Palaces of Bones and it’s very describing name... Creepy place!

I like Harold as the hero because he’s not your typical hero. Thieves are rarely called heroes but Harold is very likeable. And then there’s Kli-Kli, who wouldn’t like the jester? And speaking of jester, I totally didn’t see that coming! Even though I liked Harold my fav people were the elves. I wish there would have been more of them and I would have liked to learn more about their world and history.

As it is in war, we lose more characters and I understand that it belongs to war but how could you do that! And it was evil to do it so soon in the book! But we meet few people who I had totally forgotten about which was nice. I should have reread the first 2 books before this...

My only complaint is that the part in Hrad Spein could have been tiny bit shorter and the battle scenes in the end less jumpy. There were too many perspectives to the battle and from people we hadn’t meet before.

I enjoyed these books so much and I’m gonna miss this world. I hope more of his books gets translated because I’m reading those for sure!