Sylvio spent the past decade banished from Simare’s court, stripped of land, ancestral home and title – from Minister of National Security to back-country bowyer. But not any bowyer; Sylvio creates bows from laminations of wood and human bone, bows that are said to speak, bows known as the legendary arcossi.

And now, after a decade, he is called back to the capitol, summoned by his Prince whom he suspects is a patricide and insane. His very life is in danger and with it the country he has served through all his days.

From Mountains of Ice is a story of love, endurance and the meaning of honour.

When I read the prologue of this book, I was extremely worried. I haven’t been a big fan of historical paranormals and here I was reading a historical 16th century based fantasy. Add to that, the characters in the prologue have long names and big titles. I admit, I was afraid.

A few times in the book, I found myself going backwards to re-read sentences that I found a bit confusing the first time around and had me loosing track. Once again, I realized how far out of this genre I really am.

That admitted, I found myself getting into it around the middle. Once I had a firm grip on the characters and what their placement in the novel was, like I said their titles are long and it’s a bit intimidating at first. I had to read slower than I normally do, it took me a week to finish where I normally can finish a book in two days max, you really have to concentrate with From Mountains of Ice, or you will get lost. From Mountains of Ice, tells a tale of love, hate, darkness and dreams. Sylvio is a greatly developed character, in the midst of so much.

If you like a slice of Italian History with your Fantasy, From Mountains of Ice is for you.

My Rating  – 3/5