- Paperback: 704 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins Canada / Science Fictio; 1st Trade edition (April 22 1999)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0061073555
- ISBN-13: 978-0061073557
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.6 x 4.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 748 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #585,380 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
This stout and epic tale mixing fantasy and SF was originally published in the 1980s in mass market in three volumes, Stormwarden, Keeper of the Keys and Shadowfane. Whether those novels have been edited for this edition or not, the joint publication brings out the essential unity of the story. Far in the future, a human-crewed starship crashes on a distant planet, carrying a load of alien POWs taken to help discover the secrets of a deadly foe, the group mind known as the Gierj. In time, the humans revert to a feudal society, the aliens are seen as "demons" and the starship's computer survives as a "magical" entity known as the Vaere. Two powerful human wizards learn the mental techniques (or magic) of the Vaere, but one, Ivain Firelord, dies mad, and the other, Anskiere Stormwarden, is distrusted and imprisoned. The burden of fighting the Shadowfane, the realm of the demons, falls on Taen Dreamweaver, a fisherman's daughter, and on an orphan boy named Jaric, who is actually Ivain's bastard son. They are in a race against time to master Vaere powers, because the Shadowfane are on the march, and Taen's brother has become a minion of the Shadowfane, known as Maelgrim Dark Dreamer. The race is full of action, splendid scenes of magic (including some terrifying dreams) and engaging secondary characters. It also has many well-handled seafaring scenes (Robin Hobb's Liveship Saga fans, take note) and an amiable, even tender romance subplot. Jaric and Taen are the eventual victors, but not without cost, nor without the possibility of future adventures among the stars and against the Gierj. (June)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
"One of those do-not-put-down-until-finished books, of which there are all too few!" -- -- Andre Norton
"The world Janny Wurts writes about is wonderfully vivid." -- -- Stephen R. Donaldson
"The world Janny Wurts writes about is wonderfully vivid." -- Stephen R. Donaldson
"The world Janny Wurts writes about is wonderfully vivid." -- -- Stephen R. Donaldson
"The world Janny Wurts writes about is wonderfully vivid." -- Stephen R. Donaldson
"Action-packed...Wurts continues to be excellent at world-building and characterization." -- Booklist
"One of those do-not-put-down-until-finished books, of which there are all too few!" -- Andre Norton
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Written in the records of the Vaere is the tale of the binding of the Mharg-demons at Elrinfaer by the wizard of wind and wave, Anskiere. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Written in the records of the Vaere is the tale of the binding of the Mharg-demons at Elrinfaer by the wizard of wind and wave, Anskiere. Read the first page
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Concordance
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Ok but not Great,
By A Customer
This review is from: Cycle of Fire Trilogy (Paperback)
This book captures you in its intriguing story line. There is much sorcery and is very imaginative. I won't get into the story line but I will mention a couple of things. The ending did not satisfy me I wanted more of a resolution in the ending and did not get it. The ending was written in such a way that there could have been another series after the Cycle of Fire Trilogy. The characters work hard with every ounce of their being and overcome incredibly difficult obstacles but once again I did not feel the release or the easing of their work or feel that the characters really gained anything from it except for saving their world. I alone wanted to feel the reward of the extreme hard work of the characters after reading such a long book, I did not feel that I experienced it.The book being so long I wonder if it was really worth reading with the kind of ending it had. If you don't mind the type of ending or resolution that this book has then read it, if not then the book will be a waste of time.
2.0 out of 5 stars
Starts well, but ...,
By A Customer
This review is from: Cycle of Fire Trilogy (Paperback)
The first book in this trilogy is good - perhaps very good. But it's all downhill from there, sadly. The prose gets more and more involuted; the dialogue migrates from 'wooden' through 'strained' all the way to 'frankly preposterous'; and the descriptions (especially of the 'magic') strain analogies well past breaking point. The final few chapters are a strain to read :-(Conclusion - if you enjoyed Daughter of the Empire et al, read them again and leave this one alone.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Read It,
By A Customer
This review is from: Cycle of Fire Trilogy (Paperback)
This book was wonderfuly vivid. it is a high action fantasy book.a (Just cant put down)of witch there are all too few. she just pints a picture in your mind. as soon as you think you know whats going to happen she turns it 180 degrees. but it is just as good on the other side.
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