Book Description
Your Main Guide to the World of Middle-earth
·Middle-earth's mysteries revealed with labeled maps of all nine regions.
·Master the art of fellowship play so you can conquer the most dangerous foes!
·Complete guides to the Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-master, and Minstrel classes!
·Crafting charts for all 10 professions to help you become a master craftsman.
·Exclusive strategy from The Syndicate, one of the world's largest and oldest online gaming guilds!
·Basics, crafting, classes, maps
Customer Reviews:
Useful, but needs an update.......2007-07-25
It's always useful to have these Prima Guides for complicated games like LOTRO - the only shame is that I didn't get it until just around when the new expansion (Evendim) came out - I wish they would release a free supplement for people who have already bought the book.
Very Usefull.......2007-07-24
This book is a real time saver for LOTRO players. The maps are very usefull as are the descriptions of player classes, traits, deeds, etc. It gets the beginning player off to a fast start, and is still usefull at level 50.
The game has a well developed PvP, in Monster Play. Any review that says that LOTRO does not have PvP is suspect.
A Basic Helper only.......2007-07-16
This book is basic, as others have said. It's a good source for gamers just starting to play LOTRO, or entering regions for the first time.
I find it useful for the maps and craft and class quests. Sure there are online sites with more in-depth information and more detailed maps. Do a google search and make your pick. But unless you have a second computer or monitor (The game in full view is too awesome to shrink) next to you, the book maps are a decent reference, especially when first entering a region for the first time. The game map is empty, only showing where you are and some adjacent locations. The book gives you cities and landmarks.
As far as quest and boss locations, isn't that part of the discovery fun? Okay, okay, not always, and that's where online references can offer cheats to get past those sticky situations.
LOTR is an awesome game. Just starting the game? This book is very useful to you. Otherwise, as others have said, you may want to wait for a new edition. Of course by the time that happens will that be of any use to the veteran LOTRO user?
A Basic Reference Guide.......2007-06-30
There are no cheats, spoilers or walkthroughs in this guide. It is a basic reference guide with handy information on each class, the skills each class receives at each level and maps of the areas. It isn't great but I find it handy as a reference for my gameplay, unlike volume II, which is a complete waste of money.
Lacking.......2007-06-21
Overall, this book seems unfinished, as if it was rushed to release to coincide with the release of the game. Sports decent crafting and character guides for planning your professions and class, but the atlas section severely lacks. Many maps do not have any notations at all, or inadequate notations, which makes them next to useless when you are looking for a mob/mob boss, area, or point of interest. My advice: Wait for the 'revised and updated' edition.
Customer Reviews:
Cirque Du Freak #11.......2007-07-09
I was very satisfied with the service from this vendor. The book arrived in the time frame promised and in good condition.
Great books.......2007-01-21
Sent on time product was what I ordered and expected. I am very happy with my purcase.
Cirque Du Freak #11 .......2007-01-21
Darren Shan is a wonderful writer and mygrandson and I love his books keep up the good work Darren you make reading great not only for young people but is old grandmas too Jan
Best Book Ever!.......2006-12-14
This is the best book ever. It's the best book out of all of the whole series. I am really upset. Darren is going to become the Lord of the Sahdows.
Lord of Shadows Book Review.......2006-11-04
If your searching for a comppelling, and entertaining book, then Cirque Du Freaks Lord of Shadows is the perfect book for you. Just like the previous 10 books in this series, there is a twist and turn at the end of every chapter. This book is about Darren Shan, a half vampire prince who is searchiing for Steve Leanord, his ex-best friend. Darren is out to kill him so that the vampires win the War of Scars. By doing this Darren will become the Lord of Shadows. The question is, is this a good thing? Evana, a witch who can see the future, tells Darren he will have too much power and kill all of the vampires and humans and even his own friends. However, Darren insists that he would never kill for the fun of it. Darren believes that it's possible to win the War of Scars and not be a endless killer. Evanna keeps telling him that it is impossible to change the course of the future. Will Darren Shan be able to kill Steve Leonard, win the War of Scars, and not turn into a insane killer? Read this amazing book that will keep you guessing.
Average customer rating:
- Great Look behind the scenes. Far better than earlier volumes
- I hate to give this only 4 stars, but too much repitition.
- For Hard Core Tolkien Fans Only!!!
- Vital exploration of Tolkien's work, but for fans only
- Warning-not a novel....but a great resource
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The Return of the Shadow: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part One (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 6)
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 20th Century | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
History & Criticism | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
History & Criticism | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Tolkien, J.R.R. | ( T ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Hardcover | Tolkien, J.R.R. | ( T ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0395498635 |
Book Description
In this sixth volume of The History of Middle-earth the story reaches The Lord of the Rings. In The Return of the Shadow (an abandoned title for the first volume) Christopher Tolkien describes, with full citation of the earliest notes, outline plans, and narrative drafts, the intricate evolution of The Fellowship of the Ring and the gradual emergence of the conceptions that transformed what J.R.R. Tolkien for long believed would be a far shorter book, 'a sequel to The Hobbit'. The enlargement of Bilbo's 'magic ring' into the supremely potent and dangerous Ruling Ring of the Dark Lord is traced and the precise moment is seen when, in an astonishing and unforeseen leap in the earliest narrative, a Black Rider first rode into the Shire, his significance still unknown. The character of the hobbit called Trotter (afterwards Strider or Aragorn) is developed while his indentity remains an absolute puzzle, and the suspicion only very slowly becomes certainty that he must after all be a Man. The hobbits, Frodo's companions, undergo intricate permutations of name and personality, and other major figures appear in strange modes: a sinister Treebeard, in league with the Enemy, a ferocious and malevolent Farmer Maggot.
The story in this book ends at the point where J.R.R. Tolkien halted in the story for a long time, as the Company of the Ring, still lacking Legolas and Gimli, stood before the tomb of Balin in the Mines of Moria. The Return of the Shadow is illustrated with reproductions of the first maps and notable pages from the earliest manuscripts.
Customer Reviews:
Great Look behind the scenes. Far better than earlier volumes.......2007-02-20
`The Return of the Shadow' is the first of a four volume series (`The History of the Lord of the Rings') within a series, (volume VI of `The History of Middle Earth') edited by Christopher Tolkien, from the unpublished writings of his father, J. R. R. Tolkien, most famous as the author of `The Hobbit' and `The Lord of the Rings'.
For those who have been slogging through the previous three volumes dealing with fragments from the composition of `The Silmarillion', this volume is a great pleasure, as it deals entirely with early drafts of what becomes the first two-thirds of `The Fellowship of the Ring' (FR), the first volume of the great `The Lord of the Rings' (LotR). It begins at the beginning of FR and ends as the fellowship stand in the mines of Moria over the grave marked `Balin Son of Burin, Lord of Moria' (The dramatic encounter between Gandalf and the Balrog will have to wait until the next volume).
For those of you who may have read `The Lord of the Rings' only once or twice, this and the next three volumes in this series are an enormous treat, as reading this is far more rewarding than a second or third reading of LotR, and will make that second or third reading even more interesting. For those of us who have read LotR for ten or twelve times, and have seen Peter Jackson's films of same more times than I care to count, the interest tends to wane just a bit, as the percentage of entirely new material is small compared to early versions of text which appeared in the final volumes.
What I really looked forward to in these volumes was some insight into my second most favorite character, after Gandalf, and this would be the perpetual Middle Earth hippie, Tom Bombadil and his consort, Goldberry. Unfortunately, this book does not through a lot of light on Bombadil's origins. Thankfully, it also does not violate any of my lengthily speculations on where Bombadil fits into the history of Middle Earth and the cosmology of the world in which Middle Earth is set. The heart of the matter is that Bombadil is one of the very few true natives of Middle Earth. The elves are clearly immigrants from the Far West. Dwarves and men seem to be creations of the Valar, and orcs and trolls are perversions of elves, men, and dwarves made by Melkor or Sauron. He is certainly not one of the Valar, as nothing said about his lack of interest in The Ring would be true of a Valar. Similarly, he is certainly not a wizard, one of Gandalf's clan, the Istari. The fact is, Tolkien senior simply added him in as a `deux ex machina', pinch hitting for Gandalf in a way, to get the wandering hobbits out of two jams with powers far greater than their own, so that they can safely reach Bree and the assistance of Strider. And, it turns out Tolkien simply wanted to include Bombadil and Goldberry since he had written of them in earlier publications!
One thing that does come out is the fact that the minor character, Farmer Maggot is potentially a far more interesting character than may appear on the surface. For example, Tom Bombadil seems to get most of his information about the outside world from Farmer Maggot and there is a suspicion in this narrative that Maggot is not entirely `hobbit' bred. This is not too unusual, as there has always been a suspicion that the three strains of hobbits are a result of a bit on interbreeding with elves and dwarves (but you didn't hear that from me!). One thing about Maggot which tickles my fancy is that his physical description here is a strong image of the Pennsylvania Amish and Mennonite farmers, which fits perfectly into the land around the Brandywine and the cultivation of mushrooms, both features of southeastern Pennsylvania, the home of the very same Pennsylvania Dutch. And yet, editor Christopher seems to make no mention of this obvious connection.
Being a true fanatic, even little things about these books will please me to no end. One thing, among others, which makes me think that Peter Jackson used these books in his writing the screenplay for the movies is the similarity between the picture of Bag End and the surrounding Shire and Bag End as it appeared in FR. I'm also thrilled by the additional original Tolkien maps, as well as the usually excellent index to the volume. I look forward to a composite index covering the whole four volumes of the `History of the Lord of the Rings' series.
The greatest impact of this volume comes from the smallest note in the beginning. After all the preparation done on the history of Middle Earth, Tolkien senior still had no notion of what he will find in Bree, who or what was Strider, or any notion of the design of Moria until he actually reached these characters and events in his writing.
I hate to give this only 4 stars, but too much repitition........2006-03-14
I was hoping that this would give like amny differnent versions of these books, but it tends just to show you the evolution and showing you the rewritings of early chapters of the lord and some of them like the council of elrond show you like 6 different versions. Every version a new character will show up, somebody will turn from good to evil, or maybe their words will be given to some one else.
I guess I was just hoping that this would be more like the previous 5 books and give us new stuff like they did of the silmarillion. But it did provide me with enough new info and some pretty exciting evolutions in this.
For Hard Core Tolkien Fans Only!!!.......2005-07-13
I got the book thinking it was part of Tolkien's unfinished sequel to the LOTR "The Return of the Shadow", but the shadow here is Sauron's return to middle earth after the end of the second age.
This is a volume in the previously unpublished letters and papers of J.R.R. Tolkien. In this volume we follow the evolution of the different parts of the LOTR the Fellowship of the Ring over time. From its beginning as a sequel to the Hobbit to the final epic product of mythic proportions.
Its interesting to see all the various drafts of the original chapters and the progression of Bingo Baggins into Frodo and the Hobbit Trotter into the Human King Strider/Aragorn. But this is the main drawback also, how many variations of "A Long Expected Party" can one read without being bored?
For Tolkien enthusiatists and English Majors only.
Vital exploration of Tolkien's work, but for fans only.......2004-05-09
If you're not a Tolkien fan, you need not apply to the sprawling History of Middle Earth series. But if you're interested in seeing how the Professor developed the rich creation of Middle Earth, warts and all, this is a treasure trove of material.
The 12 volumes of the History of Middle Earth take a close look at the creation of Tolkien's greatest achievement - Middle Earth itself - through early drafts, unpublished texts, and dead end writings. For ardent Tolkien readers it is a fascinating look at one of the great literary creations of the 20th Century. For more casual fans, it's text better left unread.
"The Return of the Shadow" marks the first in the four volumes dealing with the history of the writing of "The Lord of the Rings." Like the other volumes in the series, it features unpublished writings by Tolkien, supplemented, explained, footnoted, annotated and expounded upon by his son, Christopher Tolkien.
Here we have the earliest versions of what would later become the most beloved fantasy epic in the world, detailing the extraordinary and convoluted history of the earliest chapters of "The Lord of the Rings." Some readers might be surprised to know just how different a book this was in its earliest stages, and just how much Tolkien was making it up as he went along in those early days.
The wealth of information is fantastic, and Christopher Tolkien goes to great lengths to examine each text, putting them in the context of the larger puzzle of his father's writings. The exploration of how "The Lord of the Rings" came about is fantastic - for those interested. Otherwise, it will bore. This is, after all, a series of unfinished draft chapters and essays on the text. I enjoyed it, but many won't.
Anybody wishing to do a study of Tolkien's craft, into "behind the scenes" writings, or just interested in finding a few snatches of new Middle Earth material (even if in unfinished form, there are some scattered throughout the series) will certainly find what they are looking for here. Christopher Tolkien's work here is appreciated by scores of ardent Tolkien fans.
Those looking for fresh new tales about hobbits and heroes, however, will be disappointed. This isn't new fiction, nor does it even feature finished works. Seek elsewhere if you are looking for more tales in the way of "The Lord of the Rings."
Warning-not a novel....but a great resource.......2003-01-10
Of the thrilling and informative History of Middle-Earth series, this is perhaps the most interesting part. Normal Tolkien fans will get the rare chance to see how the germ of an idea can explode into the most complex cosmology ever created. Although it may seem boring, as it is not a novel per se, it is an insightful analysis of a very beloved book. The Lord of the Rings was initially conceived as a sequel to the Hobbit, growing into something incomparably more vast. We see Bingo in the character of Frodo, the name Frodo applied to another character. Aragorn is named Trotter and the idea emerges that he might be a long lost Hobbit who has had many experiences on the road. Somehow, with many footnotes and comments in the margin, we see the evolution of these ideas into what we know today as LOTR. Fascinating and useful for the Tolkien scholar, the devoted Tolkien reader, or even an aspiring writer.
Book Description
Darkness threatens Ranadon again in the form of an eclipse. The Goddess wants to give the people of Ranadon a sign—and only Dirk Provin can interpret it. To do so, Dirk has systematically betrayed his one-time allies to join his most hated enemies. Now, with neither side trusting him, Dirk sets his own devious plot in motion
Senet’s Crippled Prince, Misha, has found unexpected and tenuous sanctuary among the Baenlanders of Mil. To secure their trust, he offers them the one thing they cannot refuse. Meanwhile, Alenor, Queen of Dhevyn, betrayed by her husband, Kirsh, and Tia Veran, deceived by Dirk, set out for revenge and to finally free their people at any cost. As the second sons and the rest of their generation
pursue different paths to survival and freedom, they discover that the will of the Goddess—and of men—works in mysterious ways. And as Dirk’s old enemies join with new ones, his attempt to save Ranadon may cost him his friends, his love...and his life.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome !.......2007-03-19
I enjoyed this book. It has so much to recommend it. I do not like to give away the plot so I will tell you that the character development was a joy to read. I am always searching for a new wonderful author. I think I have found one with Jennifer Fallon.
Great Series.......2007-02-13
I love all of Jennifer Fallon's books, I have read everything she has written and I love how they all intertwine. Some information you don't get in one series and you find explanations in a different Series. I am half through the last book of hers called Harshini which is also great. I will miss her writing when I move on to read something else. If you like Scifi you will love this.
It just screamed '4 Stars'.......2006-07-24
I stayed up all through the night reading this conclusion to The Second Sons Trilogy. I read it somewhat feverishly--Fallon keeps you in an ironclad hold the entire time. It's the type of trilogy that could probably spawn more books--all, if done well, just as engaging...and predictable.
I am proud to say that I must be the smartest person on the fantasy world of this story. I was always four steps ahead of the characters. Nothing--and I mean nothing--came as a surprise. Yep, knew which characters would end up together. Yep, knew how the climax would pay out. And yep, knew who would die.
I knew which random bits of information from Neris would be important. I speculated and I was correct. I got not one jolt of surprise from these novels. Well, no, that's a lie. The R-rated content shocked me several times over. But on a matter of plot, there are few surprises to a careful eye.
There is one other problem I have with this book and its two prequels...in the writing itself. Fallon is more than obsessed with long, tedious sentences. Sentences should never take a reader out of the story, but Fallon's did. They typically started the chapters and threw you right out of the action screaming "What? Where did that come from?"
Is Lord of the Shadows a great book? No, I don't think I would say so. Good? Definitely. Do I recommend it? Yes, if you're over the age of 15/16.
It will hold you in an iron fist that won't let go, but it is predictable and has some insanely long sentences. All together and thought about, it just screams 4 stars.
good ending.......2006-03-23
This series has given me many nights of delight. I loved reading it and look forward to other works by this author. The characters are well done, the action exciting. I especially liked the interplay of the main characters, if definitely helpted the story to move along.
If you like books like this one, might I suggest another I've recently come across. The Unsuspecting Mage by Brian S. Pratt. It's another fantasy adventure sure to please. I highly recommend it.
ripe.......2005-06-06
In the third book of the trilogy Ms Fallon finally harvests what she seeded in the previous books: her world and characters outlined to the detail, she is now able to build a good exciting plot, with lot of action and many interesting twists. This last book is quite hard to put down.
Dirk, the main character, is now interesting, lovable; Marqel and Tia, who previously seemed rather lunatic and unbelievable, finally act consistently. On the other hand Ms Fallon loses grasp of the two main villains: one dies and the other becomes pale and vague.
The writing is neat, always to the point, with lot of humour and a bit of slang as if the author finally had relaxed a little. No masterpiece is to be expected but a bit of solid reading.
Average customer rating:
- Very well done from beginning to end
- Shadows
- A classic of fantasy...come learn the magic of language!
- Master of prose, unfairly burdened with the role of pioneer
- A fantasy classic
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The Charwoman's Shadow (Del Rey Impact)
Lord Dunsany
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | Classics | Contemporary | General | Historical | Humor | Letters & Correspondence | Middle | Old | Poetry | Renaissance | Shakespeare | Short Stories
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0345431928
Release Date: 1999-08-03 |
Book Description
An old woman who spends her days scrubbing the floors might be an unlikely damsel in distress, but Lord Dunsany proves once again his mastery of the fantastical. The Charwoman's Shadow is a beautiful tale of a sorcerer's apprentice who discovers his master's nefarious usage of stolen shadows, and vows to save the charwoman from her slavery.
Customer Reviews:
Very well done from beginning to end.......2007-07-08
Ramon Alonzo is a young man who has been sent to live with, and learn from, a famous wizard. He is only interested in how to turn base metals into gold. His sister is engaged to be married, and the family hopes that a small chest full of gold will suffice as a dowry.
While studying with the wizard, Ramon meets an elderly charwoman who has no shadow. The wizard took it many years ago, and refuses to give it back, keeping it in a locked box. She is basically trapped at the castle; she was chased out of the nearby village years before as some sort of demon, because of her lack of shadow. In a moment of chivalry, Ramon vows to retrieve her shadow. The charwoman urges Ramon to never, ever give up his shadow.
As part of his teaching fee, the wizard demands Ramon's shadow, but replaces it with a fake shadow that looks, and acts, like the real thing. Ramon figures that he has gotten a great deal; the ability to create gold for nothing. That is, until the day that Ramon is also chased out of the local village as some sort of monster. The problem with his fake shadow is that it does not shrink or grow depending on the time of day; it is the same size, all the time.
Ramon receives a letter from home, and is told to forget the gold; make a love potion, instead. He creates one on his own, and during a visit home, it is given to a visiting Duke. The potion nearly kills the Duke, and causes great embarrassment to the family. He is bedridden for several days, during which time Ramon's sister is the only one who can get near him. In the meantime, back at the castle, with much patience and diligence, Ramon finds the combination to the box of shadows. He releases several shadows, including his own, and that of a young woman. He brings it to the charwoman, not knowing if it is the right one; it is. Ramon figures that the shadow of the young woman will turn into an elderly crone. To his delight, the transformation goes the other way, and the charwoman turns into a young woman. After they escape from the wizard, the next problem concerns Ramon's family. Since she is not of noble blood, will they accept her as Ramon's bride?
From the first few paragraphs, the reader will know that they are in the hands of a master. Dunsany is generally considered the most influential author in the entire fantasy field. Stories like this will justify such a claim. It is very well done from beginning to end, and will get the reader looking at their shadow in a whole new way.
Shadows.......2005-06-24
Before Tolkien told his children bedtime stories about hobbits and dwarves, there was Lord Dunsany. One of the early fantasy writers, Dunsany only wrote a few full-length novels -- one of which was the haunting, beautifully-written "Charwoman's Shadow," a story that slips into the grey place between good and evil.
Ramon Alonzo is a young Spanish nobleman sent to find a dowry for his sister Mirandola. He goes to a powerful magician to learn alchemy -- how to turn dross into gold. The magician agrees, at a price: Ramon Alonzo's shadow. At first he's inclined to give up his shadow, but an elderly charwoman warns him not to. She gave up her shadow, and now is shunned by everyone except the magician because if her contact with dark magic.
Eventually Ramon Alonzo agrees to give up his shadow in exchange for a replacement, which turns out to be a dud. His attempts at magic for his sister's sake begin to go horribly wrong, and he finds his very soul in peril as he struggles to fulfil his promise to the charwoman, and get back both of their shadows.
Most of Dunsany's fantasy stories are set in fictional lands full of magic and wizards and gods. This one is slightly different, as it is set in a sort of semi-fictional part of Spain, and magic is something which leads to evil. But the plot in this book has the same sort of otherworldly edge that his more fantastical works do. (Although if any Harry Potter fans think that Rowling created the "philosopher's stone," they'll be sadly disappointed)
It has a straightforward plot, which is made more elaborate by his flowery prose. Dunsany was one of those writers who dwelled on the more beautiful details of his stories, and as a result, "Charwoman's Shadow" has the feeling of a dream. Especially in scenes where really strange things happen, like the charwoman scrubbing a bloodstained floor stone, or Ramon Alonzo's fake shadow getting up and racing away.
Ramon Alonzo is a good hero -- he's a nice guy who gets enmeshed in bad things for good reasons. The charwoman Anemone herself remains a mystery for most of the book, although one development is rather obvious early on. And the other two characters show the good vs. evil struggle: Father Joseph, a kindly priest, and the cold, cruel magician who "scorns salvation" and shows no pity to someone he's wronged.
"The Charwoman's Shadow" is not only an early fantasy novel, but also an exquisite little story of love, magic and kindness. Definitely worth checking out.
A classic of fantasy...come learn the magic of language!.......2004-03-25
Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, better and more succinctly known by his title, Lord Dunsany (pronounced "done-SANEY"), is perhaps the most important British fantasy author to appear before Tolkien. Lord Dunsany's work has little connection to Tolkien's except that both create feelings of wonder in readers that whisk them away to fantastic worlds. Dunsany's work has a less realistic, more ethereal quality than Tolkien's, and draws strongly on the traditional fairy-tale, while at that same time energizing the simplicity of the fairy-tale with his sense of drama (Dunsany was also a playwright) and with his magnificent, fluid, beautiful writing. His 1927 novel, "The Charwoman's Shadow," is one of his greatest works, second only to "The King of Elfland's Daughter."
Edward Plunkett was born in 1878, became the 18th Lord Dunsany upon the death of his father in 1899, and made an unsuccessful attempt to run for parliament in 1904. With his failure in politics, he began writing his stories of the fantastic, beginning with the collection (currently in-print) "The Gods of Pegana." He enjoyed great literary success and acclaim until his death in 1957, but sadly, at the end of the century, his literature seemed in danger of vanishing from the minds of all but ardent fantasy historians and those who could afford the out-of-print volumes containing his work. But Dunsany has suddenly roared back into print; if you're a lover of fantasy, you cannot miss "The Charwoman's Shadow." It ranks as one of finest novels of the fantastic.
The story takes place in a fantasy vision of medieval Spain: "Picture an evening sombre and sweet over Spain, the glittering sheen of leaves fading to somberer colours...Picture the Golden Age past its wonderful zenith, and westering now towards its setting." Young Ramon Alonzo goes to learn the One True Art -- the art of magic -- from a master magician who lives in an old house in the woods. The Master requires a fee, however: Don Alonzo's shadow. The boy surrenders it, believing it is of no use to him. But even as he advances himself in the magic arts, he soon learns there are serious consequences to losing your shadow. An old charwoman who works for the Master seeks Don Alonzo's aid, for she too lost her shadow many years ago to the Master, and she desires it back. The two enter an alliance, one that Don Alonzo starts to regret when he discovers the youthful beauty of the old charwoman's shadow.
There are no action set-pieces in "The Charwoman's Shadow," no epic battles, no swarms of monsters and demons, but every sequence in the book is full of unforgettable images and beauty. The scene of re-attaching the shadow makes the book a masterpiece on its own; it reduced me to tears the first time I read it. Lord Dunsany will remind you of no other writer, and you'll thrill to discover his unique take on fantasy, feeling if you were sharing a secret private encounter.
Dunsany's word magic pulses stronger than any of the actual magic that appears in the book. In fact, the book is really about the power of language itself; we spend time with Don Alonzo pouring over words and learning their secrets. As Peter S. Beagle (author of "The Last Unicorn") says in his brief but powerful introduction, Dunsany had "an understanding that the right name for a character can imply an entire culture, a history, a music, a world; that a single word chosen properly can persuade a reader that he shares a folklore he can't possibly know...To open this book is, like Don Ramon Alonzo, to begin learning the true nature of enchantment from a master."
I can't give a better recommendation than that, so I will only second him: open this book and fall deep into the fantasy of language.
Master of prose, unfairly burdened with the role of pioneer.......2003-08-05
Those approaching Dunsany because of his reputation as a proto-fantasy writer (in the sense we now use "fantasy" to decribe a genre) are bound to be disappointed. Happily, he hails from an age before such labels solidified into something restrictive, and his intoxicating prose can be regarded as "fantastic" in its looser sense. He was also a good deal more versatile than the description "fantasy-writer" would suggest, at one point with five plays being staged concurrently on Broadway.
The reviewer who cites Dunsany's dreamy style hits closer to the mark. Dunsany is not about plot. He is all about atmosphere, and the joy of language. Here, as elsewhere, there is a heavy perfume in the air, and an admitted stream-of-consciousness at work. If details seem to appear out of nowhere, it is probably because they do. It is part of what makes Dunsany so fascinating. The reader is aware of a fecund imagination spontaneously drawing connections with every sentence. This is unfettered inspiration at work, and it is refreshing in a day when conformity (and bland prose) rules to encounter a writer so obviously delighting in his own personal muse. Yes, certain cells recur, mantra-like, simulating the rhythm of the ancient epics. It is the structure of instinct. Remember, Dunsany was an unrepentent anachronist, setting down all of his flowery, wonderful inspirations with a quill. He was also an Irishman, and as such, of an apparent genetic predisposition to unspool beautifully-crafted tales.
Comparisons to Tolkien are useless, and do a grave disservice to Dunsany's art. In Tolkien you find myth; in Dunsany, fable. His writings are not writings for children, as some have suggested (although I suspect children unspoiled by too much Gameboy would enjoy them), but rather fairy stories penned for adults. One needs have lived long enough to have experienced regret, and nostalgia, of the retreat of the fantastic from the more prosaic world of "maturity," to fully appreciate the special bittersweet qualities that inform most of Dunsany's fiction.
I haven't checked if it is still in print, but those who enjoy this work should definitely try and locate a copy of "Don Rodriguez: Chronicles of Shadow Valley," as it has much in common. In fact, I find it slightly perverse for Del Rey not to have published it first, as a knowledge of "Rodriguez" enriches one's understanding of the novel under consideration. You will learn more about the bowmen, and experience further enchantment (and romance) in Dunsany's imaginative Spain.
What's more, it may be the finer book.
A fantasy classic.......2002-11-24
Before Tolkien told his children bedtime stories about hobbits and dwarves, there was Lord Dunsany. One of the early fantasy writers, Dunsany only wrote a few full-length novels -- one of which was the haunting, beautifully-written "Charwoman's Shadow." (And if anyone thinks that J.K. Rowling made up the immortality elixir and "philosopher/sorcerer's stone," they better read this!)
Ramon Alonzo is a young Spanish nobleman sent to find a dowry for his sister Mirandola. He goes to a powerful magician to learn alchemy -- how to turn dross into gold. The magician agrees, at a price: Ramon Alonzo's shadow. At first he's inclined to give up his shadow, but an elderly charwoman warns him not to. She gave up her shadow, and now is shunned by everyone except the magician because if her contact with dark magic.
Eventually Ramon Alonzo agrees to give up his shadow in exchange for a replacement, which turns out to be a dud. His attempts at magic for his sister's sake begin to go horribly wrong, and he finds his very soul in peril as he struggles to fulfil his promise to the charwoman, and get back both of their shadows.
Most of Dunsany's fantasy stories are set in fictional lands full of magic and wizards and gods. This one is slightly different, as it is set in a sort of semi-fictional part of Spain, and magic is something which seeps naturally to great evil. But the entire world it's set in has the same sort of fantastical edge that his books usually do. Kids with a good attention span can read this, though some may be bored by the gradual pace and flowery language. And the language is very flowery. Dunsany writes in his standard dreamy prose, with a lot of very strange imagery (like the charwoman scrubbing a bloodstained floor stone, or Ramon Alonzo's fake shadow getting up and racing away).
Ramon Alonzo is a nice leading character -- he's a good guy who gets enmeshed in bad things for good reasons. His spiritual struggle and chivalrous rescue of the charwoman Anemone and her shadow are central to the plot. Anemone herself remains a mystery for most of the book, although one development is rather obvious early on. The magician is a cold, unsympathetic character who "scorns salvation" and shows no pity to someone he's wronged. Father Joseph serves as the counterbalance for the magician, a kindly priest who helps Ramon Alonzo out.
A beautiful story about love, magic, and kindness, this is a must-read for fans of classic fantasy. See why Dunsany is still one of the best.
Book Description
4 Books on 10 Cassettes: • The Shadow Rising • The Fires of Heaven • Lord of Chaos • A Crown of Swords
Robert Jordan: The Wheel of Time Series compiles four books by this New York Times bestselling author into one magnificent box set. Follow the adventures and trials of Rand as he learns about his destiny to become the Dragon Reborn, the prophesized leader who will save the world, but at a heavy cost that drives him to reject his given fate. Dark forces surround the characters with an inevitable confrontation between good and evil that captivates every audience. Sparkled with continuous action, adventure, and fantasy, this box set is a sure winner for epic fantasy fans guaranteed!
Over 15 Hours of listening time!
The Shadow Rising The Dark One is inflicting evil on to the hero, Rand, who must enter the Aiel Waste and the forbidden city of RhuideanÛwhere he may perish. Perrin must confront the Whitecloaks who are sworn to assassinate him while Elayne and Nynaeve must battle the Black Ajah. Listen to find out what develops.
The Fires of Heaven Rand is at the forbidden city of Rhuidean where he must keep his current mission a secret. Simultaneously, the Forsaken Rahvin is plotting a victory over Rand. Morgase becomes captivated with the handsome Lord Gaebril, and in the White Tower, Amyrlin, Flaida do Avriny a ÎRoihan, is concocting new plans. There is no doubt why The Fires of Heaven became a New York Times bestseller!
Lord of Chaos Rand struggles as he attempts to unite the nations for the Last Battle while The White Tower, under the Amyrlin Elaida, decides that he must be controlled. In addition, a search for the fabled terÌangreal is conducted by Nynaeve alÌMeara and Elayne to restore the incongruous weather conditions. Book six of this series is sure to satisfy.
A Crown of Swords Listen as Rand faces the dead Forsaken Sammael in Shadae Logoth! The struggle with the worldÌs brutal and endless heat wave rages on, and Engeu calls together all women who are able to channel including Sea Folk Windfinders and Wise Ones. DonÌt miss this seventh book of non-stop epic adventure!
Customer Reviews:
shadow rising.......2002-02-27
this is one of the best series of books Ive read in a long time. the events happen at a pace that makes it hard to put down. I'm a commercial fisherman,Iread alot on my down time they are enchanting enough to take me away to a different world even 125 miles out in the ocean. I highly reccomend this series to all sci-fi readers. My one and only regret is that Mr.jordan cannot produce them fast enough.then again if he did they would not be as engrosing. My eyes and mind await the tenth installment of the series "the wheel of time"
Best of RJ Review.......2001-01-18
Having already read these four books and enjoyed them all, the tapes were also very good. The books were fantastic but, i could not read while i drove or did certain other tasks that required my eyes and hands now that is taken care of. I can now do just about anything and enjoy these great books. So, i do recommend reading the books but, if your a person on the go then this collection on tape is a fantastic substitute.
Amazon.com
Sara Ash's Lord of Snow and Shadows is the promising opener to the Tears of Artamon series. The novel sets the stage in grand fashion as Ash deftly introduces the principal players in her well-realized fantasy realm. She begins with Gavril, a carefree portrait painter basking in the sunny climes of an irrelevant island republic. He soon discovers he is heir to a great and terrible legacy in the snowy wasteland of Azhkendir. Kidnapped by his murdered father's personal guard, he is both captive and the Drakhoan--ruler of Azhkendir. His inheritance turns out to be more than just a crown, however. A dark force of immeasurable power is growing inside him while he finds his realm under siege from within and without.
Ash masterfully avoids most of the usual fantasy memes--except, of course, the reluctant hero, Gavril--and imports a vast menagerie of technologies and culturally resonant magics into her world. Her conflicting armies wield magic, muskets, and heavy cannon alongside darker forces that are too delicious to mention here. Apart from a few niggling inconsistencies (Gavril's transformation from foppish artist to deft statesman, for one), Ash's novel is a frosty infusion of new air into a genre overrun with the usual maidens-with-broadswords clichés. --Jeremy Pugh
Book Description
Combining the best of fantasy traditions with her own unique vision, Sarah Ash brings to dazzling life a new saga filled with epic adventure and unforgettable characters. Far-reaching in scope and imagination,
Lord of Snow and Shadows embarks on a journey like no other--into a shape-shifting world teeming with political intrigue, astonishing magic, and passions both dark and light.
Raised by his protective mother in the sunny clime of the south, Gavril Andar knows nothing of his father--or the ominous legacy that awaits him. But his innocence is about to be shattered. The man who ruled the wintry kingdom of Azhkendir, a man infused with the burning blood of the dragon-warrior known as Drakhaoul, has been murdered by his enemies. It is his fiery, chameleonlike blood that pulses through Gavril’s veins. The news is Gavril’s first taste of death--but it will not be his last. For blood is the liquid that seals his fate.
Expected by clan warriors from the north to avenge his father’s murder--and still his unquiet ghost--Gavril is kidnapped. He soon learns that becoming Drakhaon means not only ascending to the throne of Azhkendir but changing, in subtle ways at first, into a being of extraordinary power and might. A being that must be replenished with the blood of innocentsin order to survive. Ensconced in Kastel Drakhaon with no means of escape from the icebound kingdom, and carefully watched by neighboring rulers waiting to move against him, the untested Gavril must fight to retain his human heart and soul in the face of impending war--and the dark instincts that threaten to overpower him.
Man and beast, spymaster and insurgent, nature and the netherworld--all collide in phenomenal twists and turns. A masterwork of adventure fantasy,
Lord of Snow and Shadows will leave you stunned--and longing for more.
From the Hardcover edition.
Download Description
Combining the best of fantasy traditions with her own unique vision, Sarah Ash brings to dazzling life a new saga filled with epic adventure and unforgettable characters. Far-reaching in scope and imagination, Lord of Snow and Shadows embarks on a journey like no other -- to a shape-shifting world teeming with political intrigue, astonishing magic, and passions both dark and light.
Raised by his protective mother in the sunny clime of the south, Gavril Andar knows nothing of his father -- or the ominous legacy that awaits him. But his innocence is about to be shattered.
The man who ruled the wintry kingdom of Azhkendir, a man infused with the burning blood of the dragon-warrior known as Drakhaoul, has been murdered by his enemies. It is his fiery, chameleonlike blood that pulses through Gavril's veins. The news is Gavril's first taste of death -- but it will not be his last. For blood is the liquid that seals his fate.
Expected by clan warriors from the north to avenge his father's murder -- and still his unquiet ghost -- Gavril is kidnapped. He soon learns that becoming Drakhaon means not only ascending to the throne of Azhkendir but changing, in subtle ways at first, into a being of extraordinary power and might. A being that must be replenished with the blood of innocents in order to survive.
Ensconced in Kastel Drakhaon with no means of escape from the icebound kingdom, and carefully watched by neighboring rulers waiting to move against him, the untested Gavril must fight to retain his human heart and soul in the face of impending war -- and the dark instincts that threaten to overpower him.
Man and beast, spymaster and insurgent, nature and the netherworld -- all collide in phenomenal twists and turns. A masterwork of adventure fantasy, Lord of Snow and Shadows will leave you stunned -- and longing for more.
Customer Reviews:
If you like high fantasy with tormented characters, you'll like this.......2007-08-21
I'll be honest-what first attracted me to this book was the cover. It's just beautiful-even for a non-fantasy book. For a fantasy novel it really rates up there with the best covers because there is no amazingly beautiful woman wielding a sword or magical flames or riding a dragon or winged horse on the front. But what kept me interested in this book; in a period when I've been having trouble focusing on one book was the content.
This is the story of Gavril, who just wants to be a painter like his mother as he was trained to be. But he has no idea who his father is, and when the man dies his blood sworn guards leave the frozen kingdom of Azhkendir and inform Gavril he is the new ruler. When he resists them, they kidnap him from the peaceful bay where he lives and dreams of being with the Grand Duke's lovely daughter and take him back to the land of his father-who was reported to be a monster in more ways than one.
There he finds his fathers pregnant mistress, a serving girl who somehow liberated his father's murdered ghost into the world of the living and that he is changing. The sprit of the Drakhaoul has entered in to him as the heir to his father, and it is changing him, making his blood purple, causing him to shoot blue lightning from his hands and creating a lust for innocent blood...
Set against a backdrop of political strife and impending imperialism, Gavril's struggle to remain human while protecting his new home, finding his fathers murderer and trying to free himself from the demon is compelling stuff. It's well written too with a very well designed world. It's not perfect though, there are a lot of plot lines to follow (though not nearly as many in say, "A song of ice and fire") and the motivation for what characters do is often unclear. Still, halfway through I purchased the next two books in the series and expect to read them soon.
Four stars. If you like high fantasy with tormented characters, you'll like this.
While it's not "Lord of the Rings" it's still great.......2007-03-24
I'm someone who's really critical about fantasy books these days and generally I can't find many that please me. Alot of them lack originality and their plot is just trying to be something bigger than it can handle. Also, alot of modern fantasy is filled with a bunch of crappy names for people that seem to me just a bunch of consonants and vowels randomly chosen and put together. But enough of my ranting....
The reason why this book is so good is that it doesn't try to be something it's not. It has all the basic essentials and then some-a great narrative, plot twists, original settings and characters, and good dialogue. The story is about this guy who is sort of a dragon too who is destined to defend this aging society of warriors against a conquering king who is using modern technology (mainly guns) via his mage assistant. But really it's more complex than just this but I wouldn't want to ruin it for you.
So if you are really looking for a good and newer fantasy book try this one.
Great book.......2007-03-17
This is a wonderful fantasy story that has a very interesting and different plot. Her characters are very well developed. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.
Mediocre effort with some interesting elements........2007-03-15
For the character development and general level of writing, I would have been inclined to rate Lord of Snow and Shadows with just one or two stars. The characters were miserably written. The motivations were thinly sketched-- people seem to fall in Reel Deep Tru Luv at the drop of a hat. The grasp of human nature that Ash exhibited felt flat and immature.
This said, there were some really interesting plot elements and Ash does seem to have a decent grasp on world building. She neatly sidestepped many of the High Fantasy tropes in creating her plot elements. In the hands of a really skilled author, the world could have been genuinely interesting.
I will confess to being curious to see if Ash has a better grip on craft in her later books. Not curious enough to go out and buy the second one new, however. I may pick it up if I see it second-hand.
not the best fantasy EVER but its pretty good.......2007-03-09
When this book arived I went straight to reading it. At first it was rather dull but once I got about 3 or 4 chapters into it the story line started to piece together into a good story line. I can'y say the boog is really really realy good but well worth the read. I am so going to buy the next book to the series. One thing I didn't like about the book is the fact that you didn't get to know the charecters before the story line took off. Sarah Ash did a wonderful job at describing the surroundings. I would recomend this book to anyone because its well worth the $7.50 dollars it cost!
Amazon.com
I was hesitant to explore this book for fear that I would find another text that falls prey to stereotypical constructions of male deities in orthodox religions, but positive experiences with D. J. Conway's other books spurred me on. I'm glad I didn't pass it up. Conway makes a courageous move, breaking down misconceptions shrouding the true nature of the ancient pagan god, and revealing the importance of balancing the aspects of the Goddess with those of her companion. If you're hesitant to embrace the male aspects of paganism, this book may change your mind and open the door to a balanced and complete spiritual growth.
Customer Reviews:
God/Goddess- balanced and blended in Man and Universe.......2004-07-04
This is not a trivial, "new age", potboiler- it is a book of deep spirituality. Conway has succeeded in showing the proper, traditional interrelation of Goddess and God. Of course, she also points out the patriarchal distortion of the male and female roles in the mainstream Western religions, which no doubt explains the attacks she has drawn from both Fundamentalists and academics that reject the whole matriarchal/patriarchal approach to history. It should be noted that Joseph Campbell raised the same points about western distortion and imbalance in religion.
I cannot think of a better book for focusing on the natural balance of male-female energies in the universe. Conway shows that the true, original God was a complex deity, as opposed to the sterile, one-sided, authoritarian idol that was erected in his place. The original God is examined in all of his aspects: divine child, lover and consort, lord of creation, lord of the forest, hero and warrior, trickster, judge, lord of the waters, etc. The examination of his role as sacrificed savior (long before Christianity) is especially interesting. It is enlightening to find that the concept of double birth is symbolized in Dionysus. He who seeks and finds a true spiritual path is granted a second birth- or is "born again." These are not separate, distinct, non-overlapping aspects of different "gods", but are all aspects of the one. Indeed, it is shown that even in individual human beings, not only do we all contain these various aspects, but we also contain all the various aspects of God AND Goddess, for each person is fundamentally both male and female to some extent.
As for accusations of errors in the supplemental appendix', anyone can use a bad source now and then. Agrippa's three books are full of such errors, yet no one dismisses them. Just take a look at the excellent and extensive bibliography- Conway is a true scholar of understanding and depth.
Maybe inaccurate, but worthwhile.......2003-07-02
A friend gave me this book and I'm glad she did. I don't know if the specifics are inaccurate or not (as other reviews have mentioned), and to be perfectly honest, I don't really care. For me, this book was a chance to look at masculine Divinity without instintively associating it with christianity. I was raised catholic and every time I saw the word "God", it brought to mind all of the negative things I associated with christianity (disregard of women, Spanish Inquisition, etc.). But this book finally allowed me to view christianity in the context of other spiritual paths and realize that it no longer has any power over me. It's simply a path that isn't right for me. In my opinion, this book is interesting, thought-provoking, and a good place to start becoming more familiar with the masculine Divine, despite any inaccuracies that exist. It can inspire you to delve deeper into the areas that interest you and hopefully discover your own truths.
Inspiring............2001-07-16
Although this book was inspiring, and opened me up to the various possibilities of the God in my personal magic and worship, I found a major flaw in this work. I have always thought that Wicca (as this book undoubtably is)'s only anomosity towards Christianity was claiming that it was "the one true and only right way". That its God was "the true God". And here is a clearly Wiccan author, speaking confidently about her God as "the true God". The Christian God, as is any other God, is only a single way to view the divine---certainly not a "false" image. I am a Wiccan, and I find her comments offensive. I am only surprised that more people haven't mentioned this in their reviews,
Horrible!.......2000-11-19
I bought this because I was so glad to finally see a book about the God, but this book is a farce. Wicca is a religion that says, "All gods are one god," etc. and we are supposed to be supportive of other people's religions. So what right does Conway have to bash the Christian god and say that he is not real??? She says her book is about "the true god." Isn't that what the Christians say, that theirs is the only true god? How is what Conway says any different, and yet she bashes the Christians! I am glad to see this book out of print and hope it stays that way. Janet and Stewart Farrar's book The Witches' God is so much better.
I'm my own Grandpa.......2000-09-06
I, too, was very excited to see this book title. There is indeed a dearth of good pagan books about the god aspect. Hopefully, this is something that will change in the future. I totally agree that we are in desperate need of books on the masculine divine. That does not mean we should just meekly accept whatever dross is shoved our way with the title "Men's spirituality" stamped on it.
I don't know if choppy quite covers some of Conway's scholarship in this book. I was frankly surprised as I have read other books by DJ Conway that are positively excellent. I hope this is the exception to her work. A few of the problems I encountered were the following: poor scholarship of pantheons, the throwing in of various deities at the end of chapters with the acknowledgement of a sentence and the reference to some gods as "evil."
As to the poor scholarship of various pantheons, let us look at page 49 where she is discussing Middle Eastern pantheons. I would like to note here that Sinn/Nanna or Nannar is the Mesopotamian God of the Moon. Sinn is Assyro-Babylonian and Nanna or Nannar is Sumerian. Inanna/Ishtar is the Mesopotamian Goddess of the Morning and Evening Star(Venus). She is also a Goddess of fertility and sex. Inanna is Sumerian and Ishtar is Assyro-Babylonian. Finally Shamash is the Mesopotamian Sun God. Shamash is Assyro-Babylonian. His Sumerian counterpart is Utu. Okay then let's look at page 49: "Sinn...said to have been born to Inanna or Nanna, Queen of Heaven.[how can Sinn be born to his Sumerian self(Nanna)???]Sinn was the father of the Sun God Shamash and the Goddess Ishtar.[How can he be the father of his own mother???]" This sort of sloppy scholarship is found throughout the book. It was very frustrating and really annoyed me the more I read.
I gave this book two stars because it is about the Masculine Face of God which is a subject much neglected in modern paganism. Hopefully, we will someday have a better selection of books.
Book Description
Mexico, 1517. The Aztec capital is awash with fear and rumors. A strange figure has been seen running through the streets. A being with the face of a snake, his body covered with glittering green plumage: Quetzalcoatl---the Feathered Serpent. Is it an omen? Or is it the god himself, come to warn of impending disaster?
Yaotl, the chief minister’s slave, has more immediate matters to worry about than omens and portents. Engaged in a desperate search for his son, he’s on the run from his vengeful master, the all-powerful Lord Feathered-in-Black. If the chief minister catches him, Yaotl can expect a grisly fate.
Attempting to escape his master’s bloodthirsty warriors, Yaotl stumbles upon a dismembered, unrecognizable corpse. As he pieces together the clues to who the dead man was and how he died, Yaotl finds himself drawn into an affair of greed, jealousy, and lust among the ancient, secretive society of the feather workers, the Aztecs’ foremost craftsmen. And, as he is to discover, the answers to those clues will provide the key to the search for his son.
But before he can solve the mystery, Yaotl will need his wits about him simply to stay alive---for Lord Feathered-in-Black and his henchmen are never far away....
“An exhilarating, fast-paced tale . . . plenty of plot, well-rounded characters, and some black humor to make this second book a delight.”
---Historical Novels Review
Customer Reviews:
Blood and Brutality (SPOILER ALERT).......2007-05-11
This is the first Aztec Mystery I've read. The story is smooth and well-written, though it appears that one needs to read the previous novel ("Demon of the Air") to fully understand the characters and their relationships, as events seem to begin immediately upon the conclusion of the previous book.
The strength of the book is its nuanced depiction of Aztec culture, including religion, food, dress, social class, architecture, etc. Unfortunately another evident aspect of Aztec culture is unrelenting brutality - people are beaten, choked, kicked, clubbed, teeth broken out with a knife, held over smoking fires, dunked in the water, etc. When not being tortured by others, the people practice constant bloodletting in "sacrifice" to the gods as characters cut their earlobes, other body parts, etc. and let their blood flow to show their devotion to various deities. Things, places, and people wear a patina of blood and gore (one can only imagine the flies.) The main character gets beaten or brutalized in nearly every chapter, often passing out or vomiting up his last meal, I imagined him as a welter of bruises and cuts. Characters are frequently motivated by the threat of death or torture, or a torturous death (fast death if you cooperate, agonizing death if you don't - the characters' capacity for descriptive threat is sometimes exhausted as several times a character is threatened with "the most agonizing death you can imagine.") It gets to the point that the brutality becomes monotonous, which perhaps is the intention, to convey what Aztec life was like. The impression I get of Aztec culture is that it was a heirarchy of squalid cruelty, filth, blood, and misery for all but the highest classes. Even the most beautiful expression of Aztec culture, the featherworking, is tainted because you imagine the fate of all the beautiful birds yielding up their mounds of feathers.
In the midst of all this cruelty, it is hard to imagine Yaotl's evident love for his missing son (who we don't meet until the very end of the book). Even Yaotl's own parents beat and slap him at every opportunity.
As a result, it was difficult to have much care or concern for the characters, all beating up on each other. I read this book not for the enjoyment of the story but out of curiousity about Aztec culture.
One slightly jarring item is the characters' use of English idioms - though the author is "translating" characters speaking Aztec, it still seems odd to hear Aztecs using modern slang, and slightly detracts from the authenticity.
(SPOILER ALERT) - The story does not resolve at the end - it's a cliffhanger - what a letdown...
excellent historical mystery.......2006-09-30
In 1517 in Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire, citizens are afraid as rumors abound of a sighting of a person running through the streets; the fear comes from his visage which is that of a snake and his sparkling green plumage that coats his body. Could the Feathered Serpent of God, Quetzalcoatl, be haunting the streets as a foretelling of impending doom? Or could Tezcatlipoca, the most feared God, have come as a final day reckoning?
Yaotl is a slave to the second most powerful person in the empire, Chief Minister, Chief Priest and Chief Justice Lord Feathered in Black. He is known for his merciless use of living examples; those who provide the slightest affront or disobey him are publicly dealt with so others learn. He ignores the apprehensive prattle of the end of days because Yaotl has a more personal problem; his cruel owner seeks the killer of the odious merchant Ocotl; the suspect is Yaotl's son, who has vanished. Yaotl knows that once Lord Feathered in Black makes the connection he is dead plus he is worried about his child so he investigates who dismembered the victim, seeks his offspring, avoids the apparent appearance of the God, and dodges the lethal belligerent warriors of his master while uncovering avarice amidst the feather artisans.
Though obviously a historical mystery, THE SHADOW OF THE LORDS is much more as the audience obtains a deep insightful look at the Aztec Empire in the early sixteenth century. Yaotl is a terrific amateur sleuth who seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but has no choice as he follows the clues wherever they lead. Readers will appreciate this astonishingly well written exhilarating tale that is sure to obtain award nominations and make Simon Levack a sub-genre favorite (see DEMON OF THE AIR).
Harriet Klausner
An engrossing sequel.......2005-11-29
Levack returns us to the world of the Aztec a day after his compelling opener finished to find our much put upon and beaten slave sleuth, Yaotl, Nimble's father, stumbling around on a mission to locate the missing emperor's stolen raiment of Quetzalcoatl and find out who killed it's artist, Skinny. Under the ever threatening gaze of the psychotic Captain and Fox, lieutenant of Otomies, he manages to evade his minders and escape into the backwaters to carry out some proper investigating coming across Skinny's extended family who all seem slightly unhinged and prone to violence. Whilst talking to (and not getting many answers out of) Angy, the uncle to Crayfish who is the father of Marigold, who was wife to Idle, who was twin brother of Skinny, who was married to Butterfly (who's definitely got the psychotic abilities to gain a place in the Otomies) Yaotl finds himself framed for the subsequent murder of Idle, which he didn't commit and trying to track down the incarcerated Marigold.
Meanwhile, he's on the receiving end of the embittered and very angry, Lily , daughter of Kindly, whose policemen, Upright and Shield continue the theme of manhandling our hero.
To give him some respite his friend, Handy, and brother help him to some kind of reconciliation with his family, inadvertently send him to see Stammerer, priest in House of Tears, who holds the key to the whole thing and get him out of some serious scrapes as he recovers the stolen coat and eventually uncovers a deed so nefarious that's it's quite appalling.
It was only a matter of time before an enterprising author picked the Aztecs as a setting for murder mysteries and Levack has done an admirable job with his tongue-in-cheek beleaguered hero, Yaotl, who squirms his way round Tenochtitlan constantly receiving a beating for his pains. Given he's one of life's great survivors it's no surprise to find a very sharp mind that can pick through the inevitable political intrigue that comes with his lethal cases.
Levack prose is crisp, his characters brightly painted and always exasperated, his action clean and well drawn. Yaotl is a good addition to the ancient murder sleuth set and hopefully Levack will continue his stories about his wayward but always enterprising hero.
Books:
- The Lost Worlds Romance: From Dawn Till Dusk (Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy)
- The Malloreon, Vol. 1 (Books 1-3): Guardians of the West, King of the Murgos, Demon Lord of Karanda
- The Phoenix Phenomenon: Rising from the Ashes of Grief
- The Poetical Works Of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Birds Of Passage, Flower-De-Luce, A Book Of Sonnets, The Masque Of Pandora And Other Poems, Keramos, Ultima Thule And In The Harbor
- The Power of Impossible Thinking: Transform the Business of Your Life and the Life of Your Business
- The Seven Songs of Merlin (Lost Years of Merlin, Bk. 2)
- The Sundering (Warcraft: War of the Ancients Trilogy, Book 3)
- The Sword of Shannara Trilogy
- The Sword of Truth, Boxed Set I, Books 1-3: Wizard's First Rule, Blood of the Fold ,Stone of Tears
- The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Superman: The Man of Tomorrow Archives, Vol. 1
- History: Fiction or Science
- Analysis and Purification Methods in Combinatorial Chemistry
- Circle Of Five
- Ed Emberley's Complete Funprint Drawing Book
- History: Fiction or Science
- Family Affairs: A History of the Family in 20th Century Britain
- Beyond the Boundaries: American Alternative Theatre
- Barron's Art Handbooks Figures
- An Eye For An Eye And His Blood For My Tears
Lord Of The Rings: Shadows Of Angmar
Lord Of The Rings: Shadows Of Angmar Special Edition
Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar - World Companion: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides)
Lord of the Rings Shadows of Angmar Prepaid 60-Day Game Time Card
World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade Official Strategy Guide (World of Warcraft)
