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A Sword from Red Ice

Sword of Shadows #3 / 6
by J. V. Jones
A Sword from Red Ice (Sword of Shadows #3) by J. V. Jones
★ 8.34 / 6
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J.V. Jones made her impressive fantasy debut with the Book of Words trilogy (“Wonderful… J.V. Jones is a striking writer.” — Robert Jordan). A Sword from Red Ice is the latest in the Sword of Shadows, a uniquely powerful epic fantasy series of enormous scope, peopled by fascinating, compelling characters whom readers will take to their hearts.

This sharply observed saga makes utterly real the hope and heartbreak of a cold, splintered world on the brink of a terrible war. A thousand years earlier, the Unmade, souls of the dead, shook the land and decimated the Sull, a legendary ancient people. The Blindwall, breached by power unleashed by enigmatic, powerful young Ash March, no longer will hold back the Unmade from the land of the living, so the Sull are readying for a war that must inevitably come.

Across the land, clans oblivious to the threat vie for dominance. Dangerous, arrogant clan chiefs urge their followers to frenzied battles, killing one another and plotting against rivals. And a darker threat comes from Spire Vanis, a city with a black heart of evil, whose rulers have long sought to control the outlying clanholds, and whose new protector, Marafice Eye, is bent on conquest.

As Ash trains to become the great mystic warrior predicted by the Sull, Raif Sevrance, who loves her and has been exiled from his clan, seeks to discover where he belongs. The Rift, a deep crevice in the barren land of the Want, draws him. And that puts him in grave danger, for the Rift is said also to be a crack between the world of the living and that of the Unmade.

Raif, Ash, and those whose fates are tied to them must follow their own paths with courage and faith in themselves and their goals, lest all be lost when the war with the Endlords is come.

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FantasyHigh Fantasy
Release date: October 18, 2007
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J. V. Jones

J. V. Jones

In the dim-lit corners of epic fantasy, where bleak snowscapes stretch endlessly and characters wrestle with fate and survival, few voices cut as sharply—or as humanly—as that of J. V. Jones.

Born in Liverpool, England, J. V. Jones didn’t come to storytelling through the usual doors of academia or literary acclaim. She grew up behind the counter of her father’s pub, soaking in stories from all walks of life—every overheard confession, joke, and sorrow was fuel for the intricate emotional layers that would later define her writing. These roots, grounded in raw humanity, remain one of the quiet powers behind her fantasy worlds.

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Jones’s work is known for its complex characters, cold and perilous landscapes, and morally grey struggles that refuse to offer easy answers. Her debut, The Baker’s Boy, introduced readers to The Book of Words trilogy—a series that unspooled a traditional fantasy setup only to subvert it in thoughtful, often brutal ways. But it was A Cavern of Black Ice, the first installment of her darker, more mature Sword of Shadows saga, that truly carved her name into the stone of modern fantasy.

Set in a harsh, unforgiving world that mirrors the emotional terrain of its characters, Sword of Shadows stands as a testament to her commitment to realism in fantasy. Jones doesn't merely build kingdoms and cast spells—she writes of hunger, of loyalty torn in the cold, of love surviving in the shadow of violence. Her prose is lyrical but grounded, poetic without ever losing grip on the gritty realism that makes her stories resonate.

While Jones’s pace has slowed in recent years, her impact remains. Readers still revisit her books for their richly textured world-building, emotionally charged character arcs, and a sense of danger that feels startlingly real. She may not be one of fantasy’s loudest voices, but hers is a voice that lingers—quiet, precise, and piercing.

Whether chronicling the fall of empires or the fragile strength of broken people, J. V. Jones writes with a clarity and depth that few in the genre consistently achieve. Her stories remind us that fantasy, at its best, reflects the complexities of being human—even in the most unforgiving of landscapes.

Sword of Shadows

In this powerful saga of redemption and renewal, J. V. Jones brings to vivid life the magnificent tapestry of a world at once desperately fighting for survival against supernatural monsters and rent by internecine warfare. The frozen land at the north of the world was once ruled by a legendary nation of superhuman warriors. But that age has passed, leaving ancient clans to struggle for dominance as supernatural forces beyond their control threaten their very existence.

Amid the chaos of world-changing violence, unlikely heroes emerge. An unwanted warrior, a forsaken woman of power, the betrayed widow of a slain clan chief: these are the heroes rising to claim what has been taken from them and to reshape the world.


Sword of Shadows consists of four books and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of two more books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.

A Cavern of Black Ice (Sword of Shadows #1)
★ 8.64 / 11
A Fortress of Grey Ice (Sword of Shadows #2)
★ 8.00 / 9
A Sword from Red Ice (Sword of Shadows #3)
★ 8.34 / 6
Watcher of the Dead (Sword of Shadows #4)
★ 8.60 / 5
Endlords (Sword of Shadows #5)
⧗ 10.00 / 10
A Sword Named Loss (Sword of Shadows #6)
⧗ 10.00 / 3

Book Reviews

11/08/2007
Seregil of Rhiminee avatar
Seregil of Rhiminee
3707 books, 260 reviews, 15 posts
★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8 / 10

A Sword from Red Ice is the third book of Sword of Shadows. I read A Sword from Red Ice in two days. I enjoyed reading it. It was interesting and well written. I can recommend this book to all fantasy fans. If you've read the previous books, you'll enjoy this book.

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