- Hardcover: 320 pages
- Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition edition (Oct 27 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0765318830
- ISBN-13: 978-0765318831
- Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 15.2 x 3.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 386 g
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #475,072 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
Product Description
For five hundred years the immortal Children of the Light, einherjar and valkyrie, have lived together in the North of Valdyrgard. They were born out of the Sea, each with a shining crystal sword in his or her hand; they are Angels of Light created in the formation of a new world. But three have come before them, from the death-throes of the old world, Midgard: the world-girdling Serpent, Bearer of Burdens; the Wolf Fenris, eater of the Sun, who now takes the form of an einherjar; and his demon sister, stealer of souls.
The Children spend their days feasting, fighting, hunting, and guarding their human charges. But one dreadful day a woman is washed up from the sea, a Lady who is no mortal, though she is not valkyrie either. Thus begins the breaking of the Children of the Light, the tarnishing of their power, and the death of Valdyrgard.
By the Mountain Bound is a prequel to Elizabeth Bear’s highly acclaimed All the Windwracked Stars, and tells the painful tale of love and betrayal, sorcery and battle, that led up to the day when Muire was left alone in the snow at the end of the world.
About the Author
ELIZABETH BEAR was born on the same day as Frodo and Bilbo Baggins, but in a different year. She is the award-winning author of ten previous novels, and received the 2008 Hugo Award for Best Short Story. Bear lives in Hartford, CT, with a presumptuous cat.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3.6 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A very original and engrossing plot., Mar 12 2010
By Greg "Reviewer for fantasyliterature com" - Published on Amazon.com
The Einherjar and the Waelcyge are the immortal Children of the Light that were born of the sea when the world was created. For five hundred years, they were charged with protecting the human race and preparing for the war that would one day come. As they anticipated the glory of fighting with honor, it never occurred to them that the final battle would be with each other.
This series, the EDDA OF BURDENS, seems to have gotten somewhat mixed reviews. Some readers don't like the order of the books. By the Mountain Bound is the second book, which is the story that leads up to the last battle at the beginning of the first book, All the Windwracked Stars. Personally, I love it and wouldn't change a thing.
I do have to admit that I had a hard time getting through one of the early chapters (I started to wonder if the title should be By the "Broke-back" Mountain Bound and yeah, I admit, the "rated R" sexual content wouldn't have bothered me as much if it was heterosexual -- Sorry, I'm old and don't know better.) But once past those few pages, I realized this was an important element in the story, and I still grew to like both characters very much.
In fact, even though Elizabeth Bear has created a very original and engrossing plot, it's the terrific characters that make this story work.
Anyone who read the first book or has a vague knowledge of Norse mythology already has a good idea of how this ends. Knowing the conclusion does not lessen its impact -- and there are still a few surprises.
I've always had a place in my heart for the "few stood against many/ no hope of winning" stories, but to make that that theme to work, the reader really has to be able to empathize with the characters. I found that my admiration for the courage of Einherjar, the Waelcyrge, and the Valraven -- the Waelcyrges' war-mounts -- was equaled by my regret for those that dishonored themselves to become "tarnished." Even when one of my favorite characters commits a horrific act, my remorse for him outweighed the outrage that demanded justice.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Greek tragedy, Sep 2 2010
By J. C. D. Boot - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: By the Mountain Bound (Hardcover)
By the mountain bound has the inevitability of a Greek Tragedy without however the the moral. Unless the moral is that "the history of man is the histroy of War". Being an old heterosexual male I did not care much about the homosexual love affair of the two protagonists, but that's maybe because I just can't understand homosexual love. I loved the windwrecked stars. Had I read this first I might not have gone on, but now I want to back to the windwrecked stars.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Favorite so far, Jan 25 2010
By Anastasia - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: By the Mountain Bound (Hardcover)
This book is part of the Edda of Burdens trilogy, the first chronologically, but second in publishing order after All the Windwracked Stars. It works well as a standalone, and I think it's a better place to start reading, as it's more linear and less confusing than All the Windwracked Stars. Each book really enhances the reading of the other, filling in details and resolving mysteries.
The Plot: Einherjar and waelcyrge (angels and valkyrie) are Children of the Light, charged with protecting humans under the guidance of the Light. The 3 main characters (in this book as well as the trilogy) are Stifbjorn - the leader, Mingan - the Wolf, older and more powerful than the rest, survivor of the previous world's end, given new shape in this one, and Muire - smaller of the valkyrie, historian and poet rather than warrior, hopelessly in love with Stifbjorn, who shares a secret and forbidden relationship with Mingan the Wolf.
Everything is upended when a mysterious stranger, Heythe, appears, claiming to be their foretold Lady and challenging Stibjorn for leadership. Yet there are hints of darkness about her, and she may destroy the Children instead of saving them.
The writing is achingly beautiful, and the focus is on the characters' emotional journey (angst! love, betrayal, loyalty, sacrifice). I absolutely loved it. I liked all the characters, and Mingan's POV was particularly compelling. There's pieces of Norse mythology woven through. This is a book to read and re-read.
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