Compass of the Soul: River into Darkness #2 [Paperback]

Sean Russell (Author)

Book Description

Series: River Into Darkness | Publication Date: July 1, 1999

In his quest to destroy all magic in the world, the last great mage, Lord Eldrich, has sent Erasmus Flattery to find and eradicate Anna, the leader of the Tellerites, a group of finatics desperate to preserve the magic--including the key to immortality--Eldrich wants to eliminate. Torn by his resentment of Eldrich's manipulations and his strange loyalty to Anna, Erasmus willl undergo a magical and spiritual journey which will cause him to question all he believes to be true...and rock the foundations of his world!

Praise for The Moontide and Magic Rise duology:

"This is lod-fashioned high adventure, complete with ancient ruins, a mysterious white falscon, a beautiful duchess, her homicidal brother, superstitious sailors, sea battles, miraculous rescues, and eager middshipman, and a sinister doctor."-- Locus

"A spectacular beginning of what is sure to be a successful fantasy series."-- Publishers Weekly

"Russell has wrttten a winner."-- Starlog

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

As Lord Eldrich, Farrland's last mage, seeks to destroy all vestiges of magic in the land, a young woman newly awakened to her magical powers strives to thwart his plans. Caught between the pair of warring sorcerers, a countess, a painter, a priest, and a philosopher find their lives shaped by fragmentary memories and dark visions of catastrophe. This sequel to Beneath the Vaulted Hills (DAW, 1997) demonstrates the author's talent for evocative storytelling and intricately drawn characters. Best read in tandem with its predecessor, Russell's finely etched tale of a world on the threshold of change belongs in most libraries.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

Sequel to Beneath the Vaulted Hills (not reviewed), or, better, the second half of a doorstopper entitled The River into Darkness. In a world where magic is vanishing, the last mage, Eldrich, has trained no successor, nor will he allow anyone else to practice the magic arts. Eldrich, you see, has had a vision showing him the world ending in a dreadful apocalypse unless the practice of magic ceases. But long ago, the Tellerites, a dissident group, rejected his vision; now they have secretly nurtured and trained a young woman, Anna Fielding, hoping she will develop into a mage and oppose Eldrich. Anna and her followers have good reason to resent, even hate, the ruthless and implacable Eldrich. Butwhat if the old mage is right? A strange and beautiful book that offers an unusual depth and nuance of character, set forth in lustrous dialogue and prose the texture of honeyed silk. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: DAW (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0886779332
• ISBN-13: 978-0886779337
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,160,829 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Chasing the Fox that isn*t......, June 26, 1999

By 

Ann W. Unemori (Savannah, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Compass of the Soul: River into Darkness #2 (River Into the Darkness/Sean Russell, Bk 2) (Hardcover)

I have eagerly awaited the second half of this set, only to suffer the same frustration as before. Sean Russell paints his Georgian-Victorian world with much detail, a world where magic is slowly, inexorably dying. His fault is that he almost never shows that magic. Eldritch, the last true mage--ever distinct from mundane humans--is quite long lived, has disturbing dreams, yet this appears to be the extent of anything we the reader can tell. Much of the book is taken with Erasmus Flattery, Eldritch*s former student, in pursuing Anna, who would resurrect the magical arts, and in Eldritch*s pursuit of him. The undercurrent of *other worlds* runs thru the book; as in Sea Without a Shore, there is a brief glimpse of that realm, along with one of a Hiroshiman cataclysm. What's difficult is that up unto the very end, the magic arts are firmly kept *offstage*, it is difficult to understand what everyone is seeking for, or warning against. A map would have been useful as well.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Conclusion, March 15, 2001

By 

"kalisti23" (Mendocino, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Compass of the Soul: River into Darkness #2 (Paperback)

This second 'book' in the River into Darkness series would not rightly be called a sequel. The two books are in truth one, split most likely for some reason of publication. They are both exceptional books, but in no way are they stand-alone. I recommend them enthusiastically, but buy both.

They are as one 'book' the sequel to the Moontide and Magic Rising series (World Without End/Sea Without Shore), and are completely stand-alone from that other series.

This second book grabs the mystery right where the first left off, and for those who felt the first book lacked enough 'magic' to make it fantasy, this book attempts to add more--though just a pinch. As in the Moontide and Magic Rising series, this book delves more into the idea of 'other worlds close at hand yet infinitely far away', and even gives us a glimpse of these worlds.

The characters become more ambiguous; much to the appreciation of this reviewer, who found an entirely new and realistic depth lent to them. The villain is given even more humanity, and more justification for his 'evil', one of the heroines has more suspicion cast upon her own motives, and the entire plot thickens.

I believe Russell is something of an original in the contemporary fantasy scene; I read a review somewhere comparing his world to the world of Sherlock Holmes. I think this a very apt comparison. Russell's Europe is a slightly dark and gothic Europe, with the pomp and manners of the court spread throughout society, yet also with mysteries beyond mortal ken springing up in the most unlikely of places, and strange ties binding everything together.

I would recommend this book whole-heartedly to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, with twists and turns perpetrated by believable and passionate characters. There is something of a dearth of action in these books, and the 'magic' is incredibly subtle, but to me this merely adds to the flavor of the world, in a wonderfully pleasing manner.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good writing, characters you care about, a page-turner, October 30, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Compass of the Soul: River into Darkness #2 (River Into the Darkness/Sean Russell, Bk 2) (Hardcover)

Russell's fictional world feels a lot like the 19th century England of Sherlock Holmes. It feels familiar rather than fantastical, yet great and deep mysteries lie just below the surface. Russell draws characters with depth and breadth, people we care about. Even his villains are real people for whom we have sympathy. Indeed, it is difficult to decide which side you are on in this centuries-old struggle. I have diffculty putting any Sean Russell book down. If you like his others, you will like this one.