There Is A New Power Coming. It will sweep aside the four colleges of magic. It is the power of the land, and it has manifested itself in Lyanna, a five year old girl. Unknowingly, she could destroy Balaia.
Desperate to maintain their power, the colleges will do anything to control the child. If that fails, they will kill her.
Terrified, Lyanna's mother, Erienne the mage, takes her into hiding. But they can't hide forever. As the hunt goes on, Lyanna starts to test her powers and nature itself begins to turn on Balaia.
Her father, Denser of The Raven, is also desperate to find her. But can even The Raven find Erienne and her child when they do not want to be found? And if they do find them, what then should they do? Lyanna is ripping the world apart. Thousands are dying. Can The Raven afford to let her live?
James Barclay has made a trademark of blistering pace, superbly described action and characters who, with their flaws, humor and dedication to each other, are swiftly becoming cult heroes with fantasy fans.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review:
With Nightchild James Barclay brings his remarkable debut trilogy to a stunning and startling conclusion. The book picks up from the previous entry as the Raven are faced with a terrible moral dilemma: Lyanna, the daughter of Raven warrior Denser and mage Erienne, has been blessed (or cursed) with the power of The One. This power is threatening the very land of Balaia and the four magic colleagues who are desperate to control the power or stop it--even if that means killing a five year old girl. Erienne, fearful for the life of her daughter, goes into hiding and the Raven have little time to find her. When they do, they face a terrible choice that none of them want to make. Nightchild is a cracking finale to what has been a real treat for fans of action-based fantasy. Barclay's prose and characterisation has improved massively with each book and this last in the trilogy is the most satisfying yet. The characters are all like good friends and their relationships have never before been this complicated or tested so much to the limit. Barclay doesn't hold back as usual in the battle scenes which are as exciting and adrenline-pumping as always, but neither has he ever been one to take the easy route with characters and many readers will be surprised by the denouement which, while effectively tying up many loose ends, also opens up possible avenues for future books. The Raven stories have been some of the best new fantasy novels in many a year and will deservedly be cherished for future generations by many fans. They may lack the minute detail of Robert Jordan's epic Wheel of Time series or the sweeping historical feel of George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire, but James Barclay has shown lovers of action fantasy everywhere just exactly how it should be done. --Jonathan Weir
Review:
'In recent years Barclay has carved a name for himself as a worthy pretender to the throne of David Gemmell in the action fantasy stakes.' -- SFX
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherPrometheus Books
- Publication date2009
- ISBN 10 1591027853
- ISBN 13 9781591027850
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages544
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Rating