Cast a Bright Shadow (Lionwolf Trilogy 1) [Paperback]

Tanith Lee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 6, 2005 | Series: Lionwolf Trilogy 1

The setting is a world of eternal winter, where once thrived hot climates and exotic luxury. Saphay, daughter of a subking in the more civilised west, is sent off to marry a leader of the barbaric Jafn, not realising that her own father has arranged for her to be betrayed and abducted on her icy journey. But, escaping her pursuers on the back of a giant whale, Saphay is discovered alive - entombed in an ice-pyramid - by her intended husband, and the marriage proceeds. But, all too soon, she carries a child, causing dark suspicions regarding the infant's true origins ...And as her son grows up in wintery exile, it is soon evident that in him is emerging a hero with a very special destiny. Populated by outlandish creatures and exotic landscapes, this is a luscious, luxurious, colourful epic adventure full of the twists and turns and spellbinding imagination that only Tanith Lee can magically conjure.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tanith Lee has been a writer from the early age of nine, and her first adult fantasy novel, The Birthgrave, was published in 1975. Since then her highly individualistic and multi-hued style has inspired whole new generations of fantasy writers throughout the world. Born and brought up in London, she now lives in the south of England.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Tor (May 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0330413090
• ISBN-13: 978-0330413091
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,710,186 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I've lost my shadow, November 27, 2005

By 

Mercurious (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cast a Bright Shadow (Lionwolf 1) (Paperback)

I admit that I've never read any novels by Tanith Lee before, so this book came as a bit of a surprise. I was out of town, without any access to books when someone gave me a copy of "Cast a Bright Shadow" to read. My favourite fantasy writers are Feist, Brooks and Hobb, so I found Lee's style of writing somewhat obscure, yet refreshing at the same time.

Set in a winter world, Lionwolf, the son of mortal Saphay and the god Zezeth, unites a variety of races to destroy his mother's city of Ru Karismi. Along the way Lionwolf is accompanied by his `uncle' Guri-a living ghost who survived his own death when Saphay's abduction by the Olchibe goes awry. The plan, organised by Vuldir, Saphay's father, is intended to cement an alliance with the Jafn, without payment ever being made-such if the disdain they have for the Jafn that they would conspire with another enemy.

Lee's white world is colourful in its design. A myriad of races, cultures and belief systems accentuate an almost limitless amount of fantasy and magic. There are no constraints; Lee writes it as if it's all possible. Intertwining stories lead to a somewhat weakened ending, yet it is a trilogy, and I welcome the break from tradition, and look forward to reading the following volumes.

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting beginning, hoping for a better middle, June 22, 2008

By 

Shane Tiernan (St. Petersburg, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cast a Bright Shadow (Lionwolf Trilogy 1) (Paperback)

So this was strange. I really liked it at first. The ice barbarians thing was great. I hadn't seen that done much and only Tanith Lee would take it to the next step and talk about Ice Jungles. I'm still trying to figure out how that would work because she never really described them. Guri was my favorite character but most of the other characters I didn't care about at all.

Still it kept me interested enough to read for 500 pages. So it's definitely not the Flat Earth series (one of my all time favorites) but still pretty good. Some of the stuff got a little surreal and I still don't understand it. But I am curious about the 2nd book (since I already own it). So I'll probably read some reviews on it before I make a final decision to read it or not.

One final comment. Every once in a while she would slip into this kind of 2nd person writing and it was really jarring.

(made up example)

"We walked along the parapet. You could see for miles in every direction."

Now I know that it can't just be a mistake, Tanith has been doing this for way too long. So all I can think is that it was some kind of experiment.