The Silver Tide

I used to be a big fan of Doctor Who, but I became disinterested as each passing series tried to become bigger and more exciting than the last and ended up falling onto the spectrum of ridiculousness. It’s easy enough to do I suppose, but Williams seems to overcome this hurdle in her stride. Somehow, The Silver Tide is even bigger and better than The Iron Ghost; though instead of besting its predecessor it ties everything up in a big old explosion of epicness. It is clear to me that that Williams’ improves her writing skills as she goes. The first book, The Copper Promise, has parts where I thought the pacing was slightly off but this is certainly not an issue in The Silver Tide.

As for the story itself, in this final part of the trilogy we meet Wydrin’s mother, who much like her daughter is fiery and ambitious. Her goal is to travel to the very centre of the world, an island called Euriale, and she needs the assistance of The Black Feather Three to do so.

Of course, things don’t quite as planned, but I was only around a third of the way through when I wondered what could possibly happen next- [mild spoiler- highlight text to read!] they had reached the centre of the island and failed their task. But the Black Feather Three wouldn’t let a measly little thing like a trip to the past stop them from saving their world. Yes, that’s right- they journey back right into the middle of the historic battle between the gods and the mages.

I can’t spoil the ending of the story for you, but there were points at which I just had to pause for a moment, put the book down and flap at the hubby in a complete non-sensical way. His response? “Book getting good?”

Yes, yes it was. But it was also heartbreaking, adrenalin filled and breath taking. It was so absorbing, it was disorientating being ejected from the book into silence and stillness when moments ago the world was full colour, light and the sounds of battle.

Williams’ creates a world that is so full and well-rounded it leaves the reader in no doubt that the events could be unfolding somewhere; there is no break in the illusion. Her characters, though numerous, are distinct and each serve a purpose in propel the story forward. She effortlessly makes them inclusive and diverse without sacrificing the narrative.

There are certain ships that will forever remain with me: Tidus/Yuna (my first ship!), Kyo/Torhu, and Hawke/Fenris. I can now add Wydrin and Frith (Wydth? Fridrin?) to that list.

The Silver tide isn’t being released until the end of Feb which gives you loads of time to catch up on the story. If you like fantasy, adventure and romance then this is the series for you.

This is what sword and sorcery is all about. Jen Williams deserves more a lot more exposure. I couldn't wait to read this. I wanted to find out what happened to the Copper Cat and her confederates after reading the fist two parts of this trilogy beginning with The Copper Promise. I wasn't disappointed. Magic, battles, loss and separation, all bound together with the spirit of adventure and great writing.

Be warned The Silver Tide is the third book in a trilogy. If you haven’t read books one and two there is a good chance that the following review may contain some mild spoilers. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Tales of the Black Feather Three and their exploits abound far and wide, and Wydrin of Crosshaven, Lord Aaron Frith and Sir Sebastian have become sell swords in demand. Having foiled powerful mages and evil magic, they now face a challenge unlike any before – in the form of Wydrin’s mother.

Devinia the Red, notorious pirate and captain of the Poison Chalice, is intent on finding the fabled treasure hidden within the jungles of the cursed island of Euriale. She needs the skills of her daughter Wydrin and her companions to get there, and our heroes cannot resist the lure of coin and adventure. But no explorer has returned from the heart of the island, and it’s not long before the Three find themselves in the clutches of peril. Deep within the island of the gods, there are remnants of forces best left undisturbed…

And so with a heavy heart we have come to the final book in The Copper Cat trilogy *sniffs*. I have been looking forward to this and dreading it in equal measure. I’ve loved this series, every page has been a delight, and I couldn’t wait for this latest instalment. Sadly though, in the back of mind was that niggling little voice. I don’t want it to be over dramatic but the end is nigh!

The Silver Tide picks up after the events of The Iron Ghost. Wydrin, Frith and Sebastian have survived the events in Skaldshollow, but those events have most definitely left their mark. Sebastian in particular is a changed man. For the first time in his life, he is adrift and lacking in purpose. A new adventure with his friends seems like the perfect opportunity to get back to his former self.

What follows is exactly what I’ve come to expect from Jen Williams. There are few who do it better. You honestly can’t beat a bit of non-stop action adventure. Whipping along at a cracking pace with more thrills and spills than you could shake a big pointy stick at, who could ask for more? Along the way our heroes meet all manner of weird and wonderful characters. Errant gods, vile monsters, villains, heroes and a demon who is particularly fond of an ancient tree are all along for the ride.

So the members of the Black Feather Three have returned, and as much as I like Sebastian and Aaron, I have to confess that it is the Copper Cat of Crosshaven, Wydrin, who will always be my favourite. She is such a wonderfully multi-layered character. At first glance, you could easily be forgiven for thinking she is little more than a hedonist, constantly living in the moment. On one level I suppose there is a facet of her personality that is entirely consumed with fighting, drinking and being an incorrigible rogue, but there is also much more besides. You get a real sense that Wydrin cares about her family and friends. She would happily walk into the pits of Hell if it meant helping anyone of them out. The best part, she wouldn’t even give it a moment’s thought. Wydrin behaves with people exactly the way she expects them to behave with her; there is no pretence, no sneaking. When you meet the Copper Cat you get to experience everything, warts and all. There is just something so refreshingly honest about her that I immediately latched onto. Kudos to Jen Williams for creating such a perfectly realised and well-fleshed out character.

I think one of my favourite things about this series is how the Black Feather Three have always stayed true to their base motivations. It doesn’t matter if they are robbing crypts, battling demons or taking on a host of vengeful deities. They have evolved into a wonderfully snarky dysfunctional little family. As I mentioned before, Wydrin will do anything for her family and friends. Sebastian is driven by a strong internal sense of honour and doing what is right, while Aaron Frith quests for knowledge and the answers to all things.

In The Silver Tide, we also met Devinia the Red, big momma Wydrin, and she is so much fun. Within seconds of her arrival, you can tell exactly where the Cat gets all her wit, charm and natural mouthy attitude from. Hard as nails and always ready for a fight, Devinia feels like a force of nature, cross her at your peril. I’d love to learn more of what I suspect is her extremely chequered past. What can I say, I’m a sucker for a good pirate tale. As an aside, while we’re talking about pirates, I read this book while listening to the soundtrack to Black Sails by Bear McCreary. This book and that music are indeed a match made in heaven.

Back to the novel…there are some neat time travel elements in this particular adventure. I’m not going to go in to great detail, for fear of plot spoilerage. Suffice to say, they fit perfectly within the confines of the plot and add an extra bittersweet note to the novel’s final outcome. I’d imagine among some readers there will most definitely be tears.

This final novel in the Copper Cat trilogy has delivered exactly what I had hoped for, a suitably epic conclusion to a suitably epic series. With this trilogy, Jen Williams has established herself as a fantasy author well worth your time. I love how these books manage to have a traditional fantasy feel, but in the same instant a cutting edge modern sensibility. If only all fantasy was as addictive as this. I can’t wait to see what this author will do next. I can guarantee you this much, I’ll be queueing up to read it.

The Silver Tide is published by Headline and is available now. Highly recommended. In fact I suggest you do yourself a favour, if you haven’t already, read the whole damn series.

A brilliant and worthy end to the trilogy which ramps the adventure up even further. I love Jen Williams' writing, and I'm really very excited that she's working on another series.
The Copper Cat series gives me serious character feelings, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who loves their fantasy fast paced and character driven.

‘The Silver Tide’ by Jen Williams is the third and final book in the Copper Cat/The Copper Promise Trilogy.

This time the Black Feather Three are venturing into the centre Euriale, an island famed for devouring anyone who ventures past the small pirate town of Two Birds. To most people, this is enough to make them think twice but, where Wydrin, Lord Frith and Sir Sebastian are concerned, this is child’s play. Let’s remember that in previous books they’re fought gods, and evil magicians and lived to tell the tale! This time, not only do they have to travel into this island but they have to go with Wydrin’s mother, Devinia aka the succubus of the silent sea. Speaking of gods some show up in this book as well in both a weird cult and also later on in the book (I don’t want to give too much away!).

First things first, this book deals with a topic that might be a trigger for some readers, as it was for myself, that is cannibalism. This is one topic that I really find hard to read about and it did make me think twice about reading this book, but it wasn’t gratuitous and I trust Williams to only use things like this if it moves the story on and, in this case, my trust was well founded. Secondly, there is a little sex in this book including a gay story line and there is a great deal of swearing, mostly on the part of Wydrin!

Having said previously that our protagonists have managed to survive killing gods and other monsters, I didn’t say they had done this without getting some scars both physically and mentally. I liked the way that Williams shows that heroes do not get away unscathed and that the things they have had to go through do make them different people. It was interesting to watch them all trying to work through their various issues, using various methods, such as humour for Wydrin, and working with new powers for Frith.

This book is definitely a lot darker than the other two because of this. They’re finding it harder to laugh things off, which I feel makes them much more real as characters. It certainly made me buy into them more and want to keep reading to make sure they’re not hurt too much during this book.

Jen Williams is a great character writer. She manages to make the main protagonists realistic, plus she makes you feel sympathy for the evil creatures and characters as well. She manages to round them all out so you get to see the reasons behind why they do what they do. In this book, we get to do a bit of time travel and can see the beginnings of one of the characters the BFT meet in a previous book, if that makes sense! This also gives us a little more background to the history of the worlds which I thought was an interesting way of going about things because, usually, you get some kind of time travel or looking back at the history of a world in the first book, ‘The Copper Promise’. I have to say I like this way of doing things because the reader has already bought into the main protagonists and we’re also met a few of the characters from this bit of time travel in the future. This meant that I didn’t feel lost in the past because it almost felt like it was a past I know about having read the previous books in the series.

Overall, I loved this book, even if I did finish it hardly able to read because of the tears in my eyes and recommend this trilogy to everyone who loves a good story whether you’re a fantasy fan or not. I believe that this is now one of the classic fantasy series as it’s just so well put together both in terms of the characters and the plot in the individual books and over arching the whole series. I’m just sad that it has come to an end, but glad that Williams has written what I consider to be the perfect ending to the series. Now I can’t wait for her next book!

The third and final book in Jen’s Copper Cat trilogy and after the set up from the previous two we knew that this one was going to be something epic. The writing is crisp, the characters suffering from their emotional trauma’s from previous adventures and when you get right down to it, it’s the dialogue that sells the book alongside the characters interactions as they try to resolve the past with their current dilemma’s.

Its quirky, its high adventure and the pace just doesn’t let up. All round a cracking book and one that I was more than pleased to spend the time with. A magical experience.

http://lynns-books.com/2016/02/25/the-silver-tide-the-copper-promise-3-by-jen-williams/
Just finished reading The Silver Tide by Jen Williams. This series is so good that it makes me want to cry because it’s now come to an end. Literally, I could cry right now! Enough about me though, to the book with a small cautionary note about spoilers for the first two books in the series.

This book is so good, I absolutely loved it. It’s jam packed with so many goodies that I’m sure I developed an ache in my jaw from just gaping ridiculously whilst reading. Not only do we get to return to this fantastic world and spend time with, frankly, three of my most favourite characters from fantasy at the moment, but we go on some totally crazy adventures.

Did I mention that there may be gushing – apologies for not forewarning you.

At the start of the story the Black Feather Three are going to be enlisted by none other than Devinia the Red. Their mission: to delve, boldly I might say, into the heart of the cursed Island of Euriale (otherwise known as the Island of the Gods) where hopefully heaps of treasure lies waiting for their little grabby hands. Why, you may ask, is this treasure left lying around. Well, nobody who wanders into the jungles of Euriale has ever returned to tell the tale which does put a bit of a damper on any thoughts of going trekking there. Of course our little band of sellswords can’t resist the temptation to line their pockets, plus, let’s just be honest, they’re always keen for a little adventure and at the start of the story all three of them could use a bit of a pick-me-up. Anyway, their latest adventure is going to pick them up in ways they never imagined (not to mention throw them around a good deal and beat the living daylights out of them). Sooner than they know it they’re going to be in a heap of trouble.

This book is an unadulterated riot of fantasy. The imagination is just wonderful. We start the story with a disappearance to whet the appetite and give us a feeling for this creepy little island. Is it really haunted by the ghosts of it’s past? Euriale certainly has a long and sad history and it seems that over time the jungle has almost become steeped in bad memories and evil. The Island of the Gods has seen more than it’s fair share of misery and pain. It is also home to the many pirates who make port at the Town of Two Birds, a den of iniquity seething mainly with taverns and brothels. And yet, as rough and tough as these pirates may be, as many brawls as they may boast of and scars they wear with pride – they all know better than to venture over the boundaries of Two Birds.

To the characters. Well, if you’ve read the previous two books (The Copper Promise and the Iron Ghost) you’ll already be familiar with Wydrin of Crosshaven, Lord Aaron Frith and Sir Sebastian Caverson. You may also remember Ephemeral who is one of the fearsome brood sisters from the Copper Promise – they’re all going to be making tracks through the jungle. What I forgot to mention of course is that Devinia the Red, scourge of the high seas, is actually Wydrin’s mum – she’s not the kind to be nurse maiding her children and bringing them milk and cookies but she does defy the pirate image a little by being more of a hoarder of books and knowledge than treasure and trinkets. We also become re acquainted with a number of other characters from previous stories but I won’t elaborate on those for fear of spoilers.

The plot starts off as a treasure hunt but pretty soon splits into a number of threads as the group become divided. We continue to follow the pirates on their course to the interior of the island. Sebastian goes off on a unexpected and personal mission and Wydrin and Frith become entangled with a group of strange inhabitants, a fanatic cult, who are hatching a plot that could undermine the very fabric of this world.

So, what did I love about this book, or for that matter this series. I think Jen Williams has created three characters here that you can really become attached to. It sounds so cliched to say that she brings these characters to life on the page but for me that’s exactly what happens. I have a vision of each of them in my head, I can picture them, how they move, how they talk and I love it when an author manages to do that. On top of that the peripheral characters are also highly entertaining. The writing is great. Swords and sorcery at its most ingenious and entertaining. Plenty of action, tempered with captures, escapes, time travel, dragons, Gods, sea monsters and other huge beasts, magic, dragons (did I already mention the dragons!). Did you entertain me? You most certainly did and you managed to do so consistently over the entire trilogy which is no mean feat. No middle book syndrome to be found here.

In terms of criticisms – I have absolutely nothing. Although I must say I am sorely disappointed to be leaving this world and these characters behind. I want more, I’m just greedy like that.

I think that you could probably read each of these books as a standalone book. I wouldn’t personally suggest you do because I can’t really understand why you would knowingly deny yourself the pleasure of reading the first two books. Just saying.

Would I recommend this series. Absolutely without doubt. Do yourself a favour and read them all.

I received a copy of The Silver Tide courtesy of the publisher through Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

ales of the Black Feather Three and their exploits abound far and wide, and Wydrin of Crosshaven, Lord Aaron Frith and Sir Sebastian have become sell swords in demand. Having foiled powerful mages and evil magic, they now face a challenge unlike any before - in the form of Wydrin's mother.

Devinia the Red, notorious pirate and captain of the Poison Chalice, is intent on finding the fabled treasure hidden within the jungles of the cursed island of Euriale. She needs the skills of her daughter Wydrin and her companions to get there, and our heroes cannot resist the lure of coin and adventure. But no explorer has returned from the heart of the island, and it's not long before the Three find themselves in the clutches of peril. Deep within the island of the gods, there are remnants of forces best left undisturbed...
This is the final book in the series - nooooooooooooo please no. Loved them all.

What do you do when you have written 2 books of a 3 book series and those 2 books (in this case 'The Copper Promise' and 'The Iron Ghost') are among the best in the fantasy genre. For Jen Williams it seems the answer was simple - ramp it up to 11 and put out the best damn book you can.

The Silver Tide brings The Black Feather Three together for one last adventure - and what an adventure it is. Our three heroes, Sir Sebastian, Aaron Frith and Wydrin, The Copper Cat herself, are hired by pirate captain Devinia the Red, to help get her and her crew to the middle of the Isle of Euriale. Nobody has got to this mystical, magical place and returned but there is rumour of great treasure there and Devinia intends to find it and bring it back. She seems a determined soul - and she should do.....she's Wydrin's mother.

The Copper Promise was an old school Dungeons and Dragons style romp, The Iron Ghost took us to the frozen North. With The Silver Tide we move to the steamy jungles of The Isle of Euriale and, in the second half of the book to places you wouldn't have expected. What TST does, and does well, is tying up everything from the two previous novels, even things that I didn't know needed tying up. The character development is top notch - these are not just characters on a page, these are folks you enjoy, indeed look forward to, spending time with. Even the minor characters are special, effort has gone into the creation of each and every one and the story is even better and stronger for that.

I have been a fan of this series from the beginning and this is a fitting conclusion. The Silver Tide is massive, wide screen, surround sound story telling at its' very best. The battle scenes are epic and well crafted, there are Gods, dragons, dragon kin which are all believable creations and all is set in a realistic fantasy world.

I will try not to drop spoilers here but I feel I do have to mention the final scene. With many fantasy novels (or, I suppose novels in general) the final scene can be where it all hangs. This can be the scene that makes a series memorable or forgettable, that one point where the author gets to where they've been heading since book 1, page 1. I'm happy to say that Jen Williams got this one absolutely spot on. This one got me 'right in the feels' and, I'll be honest, left me with a teary eye - a happy tear or a sad tear? Do you really think I'd spoil your reading enjoyment by telling you that.

If you haven't read any of this series so far then you are in for a treat as you can (from the end of February) read all the series straight through. If you've been following the series then, with this final volume you are still in for a treat and, when you are done I guess, like me, you'll be going back to the beginning to follow The Black Feather Three all over again. This series is certainly going in my 'To Read Over And Over Again Pile'

The only down side to reaching the end is that this really is THE END!! Well, for this series and these characters it is. For Jen Williams it is only the beginning, and a beginning that promises a lot. I'll certainly be there for her next series and I think, after reading these books you probably will too. I guess I'll see you there

Jen Williams goes from strength to strength with The Silver Tide (recently published by Headline, who provided a review copy through NetGalley). The Silver Tide is the final novel in her fantasy trilogy about the Black Feather Three - a group of old-school adventurers.

My earlier review deals with the first two books in the trilogy, and you might want to check it out if Jen Williams is a new writer to you.

The Silver Tide picks up the next stage in the adventures of Wydrin, Sebastian and Frith. The Black Feather Three are hired by Wydrin's mother, a notorious pirate. She has a map showing the location of treasure in the centre of the mysterious island of Euriale, but needs help to navigate her ship up a narrow, winding river to reach it. Overland routes aren't an option, because anyone who sets foot on the island has a habit of disappearing. But the crew of the Poison Chalice are being pursued by a rival pirate desperate to get her hands on the treasure and settle some old scores.

The Silver Tide is a rollicking adventure story full of all of the great things about the first two books. It's full of swashbuckling fight scenes, monsters, dragons, time travel, capricious gods, old friends, strange magical devices and a jungle full of secrets. It's a fitting end to this sequence of books about the Black Feather Three, giving a real sense of closure to their individual and collective stories.

Great fun.

Goodreads rating: 3*

The Silver Tide surpassed all my expectations.

New characters give colour and depth (Wydrin's mum Devinia makes an entrance and I wouldn't have expected anything less) and we get to meet up with characters from the past (sorry but Jonah still made my skin crawl even if it was 'before').

While Devinia is facing her own vulnerability on Euriale our indomitable Black Feather Three are also separated and learning things about themselves and what they're really capable of.

The island has it's own legends - Jen Williams has created such a fabulous creation myth and they're all being drawn to one place, The Spinner. Emissary Estenn is so blinded by her beliefs that she can't see the truth and it's the gods themselves that unknowingly give her the tools that will work on their side.

Krete was just amazing. All I can say is I am in awe of the author's creativity and imagination.

Words aren't sufficient to be able to tell you just how awesome The Silver Tide is. I tried so hard to take it nice and slow so that I could savour every second but it just wasn't possible. You don't think it can get any better and then Jen Williams ramps it up another level and I just had to keep turning those pages as fast as I could. This is my favourite of all three novels not only because Wydrin, Frith and Seb feel like old friends or even that there are several quests they're involved in together (and apart) but because this is where they've been moving to all along. Perfection.

The Silver Tide is an adventure into the mystical and magical that I'm not sure will ever leave me.