Given the chance to train as a squire, kitchen servant Achan Cham hopes to pull himself out of his pitiful life and become a Kingsguard Knight. When Achan's owner learns of his training, he forces Achan to spar with the Crown Prince--more of a death sentence than an honor. Meanwhile, strange voices in Achan's head cause him to fear he's going mad. While escorting the prince to a council presentation, their convoy is attacked. Achan is wounded and arrested, but escapes from prison--only to discover a secret about himself he never believed possible.
By Darkness Hid (Blood of Kings, Book 1)
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Jennifer Bogart
TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
By Darkness Hid is a classic fantasy in the best of all possible ways. Achan is a stray ' a foundling with no status in his society ' who is taken in by a great knight as his first squire. Still, great amounts of mystery surround this boy's origins, and intrigue seems to dog his every movement. In the meantime, Vrell (really Avrella) is in hiding as a boy to avoid a hideous fate as the wife of the nefarious prince-in-waiting - Gidon. Their lives intersect through the gift of 'bloodvoicing' a sort of mind-to-mind communication that is a gift from the father-God of Er'Rets.
Williamson has developed both incredibly likeable characters to populate her fascinating and mysterious world, one which is populated by a huge pantheon of Gods, in which only one is authentic, the father-God Arman (whose followers are few in number). A mysterious veil splits the land of Er'Rets into two halves ' one with a normal diurnal cycle, the other perpetually in darkness.
I received this 490 page novel and I've already finished it two days later' devoured it might be a more appropriate term. Williamson is a wonderful author, her descriptions of teaching swordplay are thorough and realistic ' the best I've read (and I love books about knights in training)! There is political intrigue, romance (only the best kind though ' no premarital physical intimacy), and parable like correlations between the history of Er'Rets and the Christian faith.
What's even better (and even more maddening) is the fact that this is only the first of a series, one that promises to be incredibly enjoyable and memorable. Williamson just released the second book in the series To Darkness Fled, and I can't wait to read it! Do yourself a favour, and check out By Darkness Hid if classic fantasies with a Christian bent are your style ' you won't regret it!
Williamson has developed both incredibly likeable characters to populate her fascinating and mysterious world, one which is populated by a huge pantheon of Gods, in which only one is authentic, the father-God Arman (whose followers are few in number). A mysterious veil splits the land of Er'Rets into two halves ' one with a normal diurnal cycle, the other perpetually in darkness.
I received this 490 page novel and I've already finished it two days later' devoured it might be a more appropriate term. Williamson is a wonderful author, her descriptions of teaching swordplay are thorough and realistic ' the best I've read (and I love books about knights in training)! There is political intrigue, romance (only the best kind though ' no premarital physical intimacy), and parable like correlations between the history of Er'Rets and the Christian faith.
What's even better (and even more maddening) is the fact that this is only the first of a series, one that promises to be incredibly enjoyable and memorable. Williamson just released the second book in the series To Darkness Fled, and I can't wait to read it! Do yourself a favour, and check out By Darkness Hid if classic fantasies with a Christian bent are your style ' you won't regret it!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Valerie Comer
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
I've read a lot of debut novels by new authors. In some cases I've been seriously underwhelmed. Not often, but it's happened that I simply couldn't figure out how this story got anyone's attention. 95% of the time the debut novel is pretty good. I'm not riveted to it, but mostly enjoy the ride, even while my critiquing brain picks out typos and craft issues and awkward sentences and plot leaps, etc. Every once in awhile, I pick up a debut novel and really truly love it.
By Darkness Hid is one such novel. Williamson has done an exceptional job weaving her two main characters' story lines together until they meet each other late in the novel. She holds back surprises, leaking out dribbles of information as needed to keep the reader intrigued and guessing. I came close to figuring things out, but not the details. Still, the ride was well worth it.
In this novel Williamson weaves the story of a stray boy, Achan Cham, who is a kitchen slave in Sitma Manor in the kingdom Er'Rets, with the tale of a highborn girl, Vrell Sparrow, gone into hiding as a boy to avoid the attention of the prince who will be king. Both have the ability to bloodvoice, which means that both have royal blood running through their veins and have a special ability through it.
Throughout all of Achan's life, however, the manor cook has given him a daily potion to drink to *strengthen him*, or in actual fact, to deafen him from the bloodvoices so he will not be aware of them. Only when he is secretly recruited as a squire to a knight come out of retirement does he learn that bloodvoicing, far from being an old wives' tale, is actually real. Meanwhile Vrell hasn't really learned to use her gift either, and to avoid her cover being blown, is taken as an apprentice by an old master with an agenda of his own.
The sluggish first couple of pages are one of the negatives to this novel, the other being a bit much use of the *was* word at times, when action words could have been used to better advantage.
Positives? Many: characterization, a cool setting, and plenty of action. The conflict builds realistically and culminates in a great climactic scene. This is the first book in a series, so all the ends are not tied up in a neat bow, but it does come to a reasonable conclusion. Book two will definitely be on my buying list.
By Darkness Hid is one such novel. Williamson has done an exceptional job weaving her two main characters' story lines together until they meet each other late in the novel. She holds back surprises, leaking out dribbles of information as needed to keep the reader intrigued and guessing. I came close to figuring things out, but not the details. Still, the ride was well worth it.
In this novel Williamson weaves the story of a stray boy, Achan Cham, who is a kitchen slave in Sitma Manor in the kingdom Er'Rets, with the tale of a highborn girl, Vrell Sparrow, gone into hiding as a boy to avoid the attention of the prince who will be king. Both have the ability to bloodvoice, which means that both have royal blood running through their veins and have a special ability through it.
Throughout all of Achan's life, however, the manor cook has given him a daily potion to drink to *strengthen him*, or in actual fact, to deafen him from the bloodvoices so he will not be aware of them. Only when he is secretly recruited as a squire to a knight come out of retirement does he learn that bloodvoicing, far from being an old wives' tale, is actually real. Meanwhile Vrell hasn't really learned to use her gift either, and to avoid her cover being blown, is taken as an apprentice by an old master with an agenda of his own.
The sluggish first couple of pages are one of the negatives to this novel, the other being a bit much use of the *was* word at times, when action words could have been used to better advantage.
Positives? Many: characterization, a cool setting, and plenty of action. The conflict builds realistically and culminates in a great climactic scene. This is the first book in a series, so all the ends are not tied up in a neat bow, but it does come to a reasonable conclusion. Book two will definitely be on my buying list.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.6 out of 5 stars
133 reviews
31 of 31 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
My Kind of Fantasy
April 25 2009
By Becky
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
The Story. Achan Cham wears the orange shirt that marks him as a stray, as does the brand he bears on his back. For as long as he can remember he's worked in Lord Nathak's kitchen under the watchful eye and heavy hand of the cook, but all that changes when Sir Gavin chooses to elevate the boy and make him his squire.
Vrell also wears the orange, but she does so of her own choosing and in the guise of a young boy because she has gone into hiding in order to avoid a marriage neither she nor her duchess mother wishes for her.
Through an unlikely turn of events, Achan's and Vrell's paths cross, and they become the targets of greedy, power-hungry men who wish to kidnap and exploit them.
Strengths. By Darkness Hid is a fresh old-style fantasy. The story is captivating and unpredictable, with numerous well-foreshadowed twists. The characters are likable. Their motivations are clear and believable which makes them all the more realistic. I especially thought Jill hit a homerun creating Vrell, a girl masquerading as a boy. The things Vrell did to protect herself, the conscious ways she tried to mimic male behavior and to check her own natural actions and reactions made the character quite engaging.
The fantasy world of Er'Rets comes to life, including the innovative concept of a land divided between light and darkness, literally.
Williamson's writing is strong. She paints scenes using vivid prose so that a reader is transported into the barn of Lord Nathak's manor or onto the trail through Nahar Forest. She provides lots of tension and suspense, so the story's pace is fairly fast. There is a good amount of internal as well as external conflict, which makes the story more intriguing.
Recommendation. I just may have a new favorite fantasy series. This is my kind of story. For those who are drawn to epic fantasy or classic fantasy, this is a must read. For everyone else, I highly recommend By Darkness Hid.
Vrell also wears the orange, but she does so of her own choosing and in the guise of a young boy because she has gone into hiding in order to avoid a marriage neither she nor her duchess mother wishes for her.
Through an unlikely turn of events, Achan's and Vrell's paths cross, and they become the targets of greedy, power-hungry men who wish to kidnap and exploit them.
Strengths. By Darkness Hid is a fresh old-style fantasy. The story is captivating and unpredictable, with numerous well-foreshadowed twists. The characters are likable. Their motivations are clear and believable which makes them all the more realistic. I especially thought Jill hit a homerun creating Vrell, a girl masquerading as a boy. The things Vrell did to protect herself, the conscious ways she tried to mimic male behavior and to check her own natural actions and reactions made the character quite engaging.
The fantasy world of Er'Rets comes to life, including the innovative concept of a land divided between light and darkness, literally.
Williamson's writing is strong. She paints scenes using vivid prose so that a reader is transported into the barn of Lord Nathak's manor or onto the trail through Nahar Forest. She provides lots of tension and suspense, so the story's pace is fairly fast. There is a good amount of internal as well as external conflict, which makes the story more intriguing.
Recommendation. I just may have a new favorite fantasy series. This is my kind of story. For those who are drawn to epic fantasy or classic fantasy, this is a must read. For everyone else, I highly recommend By Darkness Hid.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a phenomenal book!
May 22 2009
By John Otte
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Holy cow! I am in awe right now of Jill Williamson's phenomenal book, By Darkness Hid. Let me put it to you this way. I'm a fast reader. I always have been. And how fast I read is directly proportional to how much I enjoy what I'm reading. I do believe I devoured this 490 page book in approximately 24 hours.
The story centers around two young people. One is Achan Cham. Achan is a stray, worse than a slave, forced to work in the kitchens of a spoiled crown prince. The other is Vrell Sparrow, supposedly another stray but really a young woman in hiding because she doesn't want to marry the aforementioned spoiled crown prince. Both Achan and Vrell are adept at bloodvoicing. They can read other people's thoughts. They can project their own to others. And Achan is probably the most powerful bloodvoicer to come along in a generation.
Yet there's a fair bit of intrigue that both must face. Achan is selected by a knight named Sir Gavin to train as his squire (although it's illegal for strays to do so). And Vrell is taken from her hiding place to be the apprentice of a man named Macoun Hadar. While you know that these two will eventually cross paths, the how and why is simply breathtaking.
Can you tell I loved this book? Absolutely adored it. Williamson's characterizations are incredible. Your heart simply goes out to Achan as he is abused as a stray. You want Vrell to be able to go home to be with her family and marry the man she truly loves. Personally, I want to punch spoiled Prince Gidon in the face. Repeatedly.
The world Williamson created is vibrant and fun. The bloodvoicing is fantastic as well, especially as Achan discovers his talent for it. And the plot was great. I did see the surprise coming ... well, kind of. I had a sneaking suspicion what Sir Gavin was up to, but I didn't realize the full extent until the trap was sprung.
Probably the only gripe I have is that the sequel isn't in my hands already so I can read it. In the final author's note, Williamson reveals that she's working on it, To Darkness Fled. All I can say is, Jill Williamson, get cracking!
The story centers around two young people. One is Achan Cham. Achan is a stray, worse than a slave, forced to work in the kitchens of a spoiled crown prince. The other is Vrell Sparrow, supposedly another stray but really a young woman in hiding because she doesn't want to marry the aforementioned spoiled crown prince. Both Achan and Vrell are adept at bloodvoicing. They can read other people's thoughts. They can project their own to others. And Achan is probably the most powerful bloodvoicer to come along in a generation.
Yet there's a fair bit of intrigue that both must face. Achan is selected by a knight named Sir Gavin to train as his squire (although it's illegal for strays to do so). And Vrell is taken from her hiding place to be the apprentice of a man named Macoun Hadar. While you know that these two will eventually cross paths, the how and why is simply breathtaking.
Can you tell I loved this book? Absolutely adored it. Williamson's characterizations are incredible. Your heart simply goes out to Achan as he is abused as a stray. You want Vrell to be able to go home to be with her family and marry the man she truly loves. Personally, I want to punch spoiled Prince Gidon in the face. Repeatedly.
The world Williamson created is vibrant and fun. The bloodvoicing is fantastic as well, especially as Achan discovers his talent for it. And the plot was great. I did see the surprise coming ... well, kind of. I had a sneaking suspicion what Sir Gavin was up to, but I didn't realize the full extent until the trap was sprung.
Probably the only gripe I have is that the sequel isn't in my hands already so I can read it. In the final author's note, Williamson reveals that she's working on it, To Darkness Fled. All I can say is, Jill Williamson, get cracking!
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
This novel makes fantasy appealing to this non-fantasy reader.
April 21 2009
By Michelle Sutton
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition
By Darkness Hid is a compelling debut fantasy novel which beautifully illustrates the battle between good and evil as well as the challenges faced by the faithful. The world Williamson creates is well crafted and so believable that at times it made me cringe. While reading this novel I was living in the land of Er'Rets and experiencing the peril she puts her characters through. For someone who is not normally a fantasy reader, this story not only kept me riveted to the pages, but anxious about the outcome as well. Oftentimes fantasy novels are hard for me to follow, but that was not the case with By Darkness Hid. Ms. Williamson really knows how to keep a reader's attention by putting her characters into impossible situations. Just when things look like they can't get any worse, they worsen further. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment in this series. The only fantasy author besides Williamson who can hold my attention and keep it for the duration of the story is Stephen Lawhead.
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4.6 out of 5 stars
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