Dark Moon (Firebringer Trilogy) [Mass Market Paperback]

Meredith Ann Pierce (Author)

Book Description

Series: Firebringer Trilogy | Publication Date: June 23, 2003

Jan now bears a silver crescent on his brow and a white star on his heel, tokens that he will become the legendary Firebringer-but he has no knowledge of fire. Swept out to sea while defending the unicorns, Jan is washed up on a distant shore, only to find himself the revered captive of a strange race who treats him with awe, yet hold him against his will. He witnesses the magic of fire for the first time and discovers how he himself can create it. But can he escape and bring this knowledge back to the unicorns in time to save them?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9-- In this sequel to Birth of the Firebringer (Four Winds, 1985; o.p.), Pierce takes readers back to the world of the prince of the unicorns, Jan. When he chooses Tek as his mate, there is an unprecedented attack by harpies, in which Jan is lost and believed dead. His father, mad with grief, starts to domineer over the other unicorns, forming his own guard to punish unapproved behavior. Meanwhile , Tek is in foal and is trying to escape to her mother to bear her foal in safety. Meanwhile , Jan is actually alive and has been taken by humans to their city where he is treated like a prize stallion (complete with a mare harem) and deprived of his freedom. He escapes with one of the mares, overthrowing the totalitarian religious order in the town, and is helped by sea unicorns to return to his homeland. There, he solves all the problems of the herd, finds out that Tek has borne twins, and starts making alliances with every other species with whom the unicorns have been at war in the last 200 years--except the wyverns, who (one assumes) will be taken care of in the next book. This plot has everything in it but the kitchen sink, but Pierce just doesn't pull it off successfully. The old-fashioned words and turns of phrase that lent such charm to Firebringer are here poured on by the bucketful, and slow the novel down. The story is predictable, and the characters are one dimensional. Readers who loved the previous book will want to read it, but it does not stand alone. --JoAnn Rees, Sunnyvale Public Library, CA
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

In a world of unicorns, wyverns, and many other intelligent races, most are bitter enemies. Only humans dwell aloof, oblivious to the others; only they have mastered fire to stave off winter's cold and to power kilns and forges. Aljan (``Jan''), warrior prince of the unicorns, is marked by the crescent that prophesy says signifies the firebringer. Attacked by gryphons and lost in the sea, he's rescued (exhausted, battered, his memory shattered) and taken in by humans, leaving new mate Tek and his tribe distraught. In the humans' city, Jan is horrified to find enslaved horses, but he does learn to make fire by striking his heel with his horn. His memory recovered, he escapes with Ryhenna, a friendly mare, determined to rebuild his tribe (decimated by a harsh winter) and to end the discord among all the races. Unfortunately, this sequel to Birth of the Firebringer (1985) is unexpectedly leaden. Jan is apparently meant as a blend of Prometheus and King Arthur, but too much here is merely silly rather than heroic--e.g., his acting like a unicorn-sized cigarette lighter, or the scene when he and the importunate Ryhenna decide to be just good friends--while magic, gods, or coincidence is dragged in for convenience all too often. Fans will miss the romantic, imaginative spirit that illuminated Pierce's Darkangel trilogy. (Fiction. 12+) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Firebird (June 23, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142500577
• ISBN-13: 978-0142500576
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #873,858 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Baah! Stupid Kurkus Reviews!, September 26, 2000

By 

"skywaterlv" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dark Moon (Firebringer Trilogy) (Hardcover)

At a time when fantasy books are becoming popular once more, many of them badly written at that, you would think a lyrical story about unicorns, true love and prophecy would be a best seller. Wrong. This book isn't even in print anymore, sadly, although it deserves to be. If you've never danced at moonrise upon a summer shore with your true love, or ran the plains with the free people, then you don't know what you're missing-yet. Though extremely hard to find, they are worth every effort in a world filled with Harry Potters and Dragonlance. Once you fight a wyvern, or dare imaging taking one simple sup of the dragon queen's waking dreams, then you too will know what we are talking about. And you'll never be able to go back again. Skywater, Vice-President of the Firebringer Fan Club.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Books of all time!, December 29, 1999

By 

"skywaterlv" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dark Moon (Firebringer Trilogy) (Hardcover)

Sigh.........Kirkus Reviews has it all wrong. The books are the most intrancing, beautiful tales of magic, adventure and romance that I have ever read. Find the books, its worth the effort and enjoy, because mere words cannot describe "The Lay of Jan".

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is worth the touble to find it., April 8, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Dark Moon (Firebringer Trilogy) (Hardcover)

It took me two years to find this book after I read the first one, "Birth of the Firebringer - Vol. 1 of the Firebringer Triology". This story is one that I will save to tell my nieces and nephews when they are older, because it is very entertaining and an easy read, like a bed-time story. The authour makes you almost cheer the lead character, Jan, on. Who wouldn't want to read a story that not only includes unicorns, but these unicorns talk. Children will find this continuation of a beautiful story, equally treasuring.