Customer Reviews

Of Darkness, Light, and Fire (Daw Book Collectors)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Of Darkness, Light, and Fire" is a volume that, when I saw it in the bookstore, made me jump for joy. Tanya Huff is one of my favorite authors because of her unique visions of fantasy and realistic and sympathetic characters.

"Gate of Darkness, Circle of Light" is a semi-contemporary (mid-'80s) fantasy set in Toronto, and it was the first Tanya Huff book I read. It explores the ideas of magic, bards, angels, and demons, while also presenting balanced views on mental retardation, homelessness, and homosexuality. Despite all this heavy baggage, it is also a lot of fun and suitable for multiple readings.

"The Fire's Stone" has been out of print for a while, which is a shame. It has nothing story-wise in common with "GoD, CoL" but it is equally fun and well written. It is a more typical fantasy, set in a far away land, with a thief, a wizard, and a prince. One of my favorite parts of the book is how it deals with a three sided romantic/friendly relationship. Another is a somewhat grueling description of alcohol withdrawal and that character's ensuing fight against alcoholism. When one reads as many fantasy books as I do, and sees all of the characters swilling ale and wine left and right, it's nice to have a realistic depiction of the effects. Like "GoD, CoL," it is a well-balanced book, fun to read, sympathetic characters, and an exciting storyline.

To sum up, if you like fantasy, and you especially appreciate realistic characterizations, try Tanya Huff out. In this volume, you get two great books for the price of one!

I'm not sure why these two fantasy novels of Tanya Huff were brought together in one edition: one is an urban fantasy, and the other is standard swords and sorcery. None of the characters cross over. However, they're both a pleasure to read, so have no qualms about buying this edition.

Some of Tanya Huff's stock characters inhabit "Gate of Darkness Circle of Light": the crabby, driven heroine; the manly-yet-innocent hunk (in this case, an Angel); a surly cat that deals very efficiently with the Dark (much more so than the humans or the Angel); and a musician who struggles with his sexual identity through most of the book.

That said, there are also some very unique characters in this urban fantasy about a band of intrepid heroines and heroes who attempt to save Toronto (and the rest of the world) from the forces of Darkness on Midsummer's Eve. One of them is a Bag Lady who is genuinely smelly and not at all cute. Another is a brain-damaged muffin maker.

The musician is singled out by Huff to endure a particularly gristly coming-of-age journey. He is captured by ogres, and when he manages to escape from them, he has to run a gauntlet of ever more hideous fairy-tale creatures before he makes it back to Toronto to help save the Earth.

"Gate of Darkness Circle of Light" is a pleasure to read, well-plotted, with an interesting twist at the end. The most unlikely people band together in an attempt to defeat Evil, and Huff brings them all together in a way that satisfies and makes sense.

Tanya Huff sets "The Fire's Stone" in a fairly standard fantasy world (thief, wizard, prince go on quest), but her characters are completely her own. For one thing there's an unusual love triangle---at least it would be unusual in most fantasies---but common for Huff. Really, the only non-Huffian part of the triangle is a virgin who intends to stay that way.

Although there is a bit too much text wasted on the love story, "The Fire's Stone" is a strong, well-plotted fantasy with likeable, interesting characters (or unlikeable, interesting characters, including a pair of really evil twins). Huff does her usual good job with the minor characters, especially the soldiers and Travelers (gypsies). I even liked the evil wizard. He could have talked me right into joining him.

The fantastical clutter of magic stones, mirrors, and wizards are handled in such an imaginative way that they held my interest to the end, especially during the scenes in the wizard's dwelling and the cauldron of the volcano.

After a sparkling introduction wherein the thief, Aaron attempts to steal the emerald from the Ischian king's scepter as a funerary gift for his friend, we meet the three main characters: Aaron, plus Prince Darvish who captures him in the act of thieving, plus Chandra, a Wizard of the Nine who is the prince's reluctant fiancée.

When an unknown wizard steals the Fire's Stone, which is the only magical device that stands between Ischia and a burning death by lava, Aaron, Darvish, and Chandra set out on a quest to recover The Stone.

Each of the three have character flaws that must be overcome before they can work together to confront the evil wizard and return The Stone to Ischia. Huff handles this part of the story very well, and I was really rooting for Aaron, Darvish, and Chandra, although admittedly, I was hoping Chandra and Darvish would fall in love with each other, and finish off the story with a standard romance.

Alas, Huff was too clever for me there. She stays true to her characters and a mundane 'happily-ever-after' simply would not fit. At least I can hope for a sequel.

Of Darkness, Light & Fire by Tanya Huff

Both of the full length novels were thoroughly enjoyable.
Gate of Darkness, Circle of Light is set in modern day Canada and features a bard, a witch, a wise woman, an agent of light and a flawed goddess out to save the world from darkness. In the Fire's Stone, which is set in a typical fantasy world, a thief a swordsman and a wizard set out to save a country from destruction and mayhem. While the two stories don't seem to have much in common they each feature an unconventional love story, which explores the nature of love.
They were both great stories, and once started, I couldn't put them down. It should be noted though that both stories are reprints from 1989 and 1990.

Surprisingly great. From someone who loathes Urban Fantasy (one of the two stories is Urban Fantasy), that should mean something. Both stories are excellent. Characters are interesting. A small warning to those silly enough to be sensitive to such a thing: both stories have very VERY mild, minor(not integral to storyline) homosexual moments/themes.

Of Darkness, Light, and Fire (1989) is a Fantasy omnibus, containing Gate of Darkness Circle of Light and The Fire's Stone. These novels are totally unrelated to each other.

Gate of Darkness Circle of Light (1989) is a singleton novel. The focus of this novel is Rebecca, a brain damaged woman with the mental ability of a child, but with the Second Sight. At the age of twelve, she was the only survivor of an automobile accident, suffering a depressed skull fracture that effectively stopped her intellectual development. However, she continued to develop sexually and thus was a desirable target for sexual predators. She has been a ward of the Toronto Metro Social Services since the accident.

In this novel, on a Saturday night, Rebecca discovers the barely alive body of the little man that lives in the tree in front of her apartment house. He has been stabbed with a small dagger. She takes him inside to her bed, but doesn't know what else to do. She leaves Tom, a local cat, to guard the little man and runs to fetch Roland Chapman, a street musician and bard trainee. When they return, the apartment has been disarrayed during a bloody battle between Tom and unknown assailants. The little man finally gives her his name just before he dies. His body vanishes and leaves behind his blood and the dagger.

Rebecca leaves a phone message for Daru Sastri, her caseworker, and then they take the dagger to Mrs. Ruth, a bag lady. She tells them that the dagger is the knife of a Black Adept. Apparently the Darkness is making its move on the world of mankind and they need to enlist the aid of an Adept of the Light to even the odds. Rebecca and Roland convince Ivan, a local ghost, to pass on the request and later the White Adept appears at Rebecca's apartment. Evantarin looks like an adolescent heavy metal rocker, dressed in black and white, and of course is beautiful in a masculine way.

As Rebecca, Roland and Evan are discussing the situation, Daru arrives hastily from a family party and is brought up to date. They determine that the Black Adept has come to open a portal into the realm of Darkness on Midsummer Night. Meanwhile, he is killing off the creatures of light and gray as well as indulging himself in sex and blood. Hopefully, they will be able to prevent him from opening the gate and thus forestall the devastation of the Earth in total combat between Darkness and Light.

The Fire's Stone (1990) is a standalone novel. It is set in a world of kingdoms and magic, where a volcano -- the Lady -- is held back from destroying the city of Ischia by the Stone. This magical artifact had been created centuries afore by nine Wizards of the Nine over nine years.

Wizards of the Nine have the strongest powers and can do all types of magic. Other wizards -- from the First to the Ninth -- are weaker and limited to their own special areas of magic. For example, Wizards of the First are war wizards and only do magic associated with war.

In the religion of Cisali and other countries in the vicinity, the One Goddess is the Mother of the Nine Gods. The One dwells within the world and the Nine live in the heavens.

In this story, Aaron has only one friend in Ischia, an old woman named Faharra. She had been the best gem cutter is Cisali. Now she is dying of old age.

Aaron had met Faharra in her bedroom while after a gold hourglass. She had fallen from her bed and was too proud to call for someone to help her. Aaron stepped on her as he entered the room.

Aaron visits Faharra frequently, but then she dies. Aaron is not impressed by the mausoleum furnished by her granddaughter. He decides to steal her greatest work -- a great emerald mounted at the top of the royal stave -- and leave it on his friend's urn.

Aaron goes to Herrak -- a fence and fixer -- for a grapple and a spell to cross the palace wards. He gets into the palace from a nearby roof and then walks the halls in the green livery of the chief magistrate. When he comes to the royal living quarters, he uses the grapple to scale the smooth walls. But it breaks and he falls.

Aaron lands on a balcony outside the quarters of Darvish. The third prince is on the balcony and attacks the thief in a drunken stupor. He is left asleep in his bed while Aaron staggers off through the hallways.

Next morning, Darvish retrieves Aaron from his younger twin siblings and takes him back to his quarters. He has a healer treat the wounds from the fall and torture. Dar is attracted toward the thief, but Aaron is not willing to give in to his own interest.

These novels both involves friends working together. The characters have different personalities and abilities, but cooperate well with each other. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Huff fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magic, friendship, and perseverance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Tanya Huff excellently mixes the believable with the fantastic. Readers who enjoy fantasy can be assured of a good read.

These stories are wonderful. The only problem was that I didn't want the first story to end! I had a rough time starting the second story, as it was so very different from the first. But once I relaxed into it, I found that the second story was just as wonderful. I highly recommend these stories.

Tanya has written better books. The characters are one dimensional and the themes definitely politically correct. Vulgar language is thrown in with no apparent reason. The story is alright, but not well developed or complex. A simple read if you don't mind the language.

Tanya has written better books. The characters are one dimensional and the themes definitely politically correct. Vulgar language is thrown in with no apparent reason. The story is alright, but not well developed or complex. A simple read if you don't mind the language.