Darknesses (Corean Chronicles) [Library Binding]

L. E. Modesitt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 22, 2008 | Series: Corean Chronicles

Darknesses, the sequel to Legacies, is the second volume of L. E Modesitt, Jr. 's new fantasy sequence, the Corean Chronicles.

Corus is a world of humans, but also of strange animals and supernatural creatures. It is a world of magical powers and of a few people who are Talented enough to use them. Alucius, the hero of the story, is one such person. In Legacies we saw how he grew from a Talented child on a lonely Nightsheep ranch in the Iron Valleys to a proficient soldier who used his wits and his Talent to become the first to escape military enslavement in the neighboring country of Madrien. Now captain of the Twenty-first Company, the youngest officer of his rank in the Militia, he must face new challenges, both military and magical.

Corus has been fragmented since the collapse of its ancient magic-powered civilization. A would-be conqueror has somehow revived sorcerous creatures of legend to assist in his crusade to reunite the continent under his rule. The Iron Valleys are forced into an alliance with the Lord-Protector of Lanachrona and the Twenty-first is dispatched to stand against the invaders. Neither the officers above him nor the men under him know it, but Alucius's Talent is their only hope for victory, or even survival.

In Darknesses, Alucius learns more about his magical Talent, meets many more supernatural creatures, and discovers the sinister forces vying for power behind the scenes across Corus. This volume resolves many questions raised in the first book, but it is not the end of Corean Chronicles.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The prolific Modesitt (The Saga of Recluce; The Spellsong Cycle) delivers a solid, well-paced sequel to Legacies (2002), set in the fantasy world of Corus, home to humans and a variety of odd creatures. After a slow opening that may perplex new readers, the action soon picks up. The soldier Alucius, one of the few to possess the magical Talent, is trying to keep himself and his men of the Iron Valley Militia alive until he's discharged and can return to the wife he loves. The Council, however, sells them out to the Protector of Lanachrona, whom they must serve as the Northern Guard. Sent by the Protector to help the Landarch of Deforya fight the grassland nomads, Alucius must call on all his Talent powers and military skill to combat Pteridons, mythical flying beasts, summoned by the nomads' leader, Aellyan Edyss. Later, after an audience with the Protector, Alucius learns that he must battle the greatest evil where he least expects to find it. Convincing dialogue, exciting military action and a neat conclusion that leaves the door open for subsequent adventures will find fans satisfied.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

The sequel to Legacies [BKL O 15 02] continues the experiences of Alcius, the nightsheep herder who is Talented (magically, that is). At the end of Legacies he escaped from being a controlled prisoner (of war) and freed his homeland from the threat of one invader by destroying the source of the mechanisms of control. But the world of Corus broke into a squabble of states after its magic, high-tech culture collapsed, and those states are still fighting, betimes with magical weapons, betimes with military and economic coercion. The ruling council of the Iron Valleys, Alcius' homeland, refuses to raise enough revenue to support an effective militia, and Alcius, now a militia captain, must struggle with insufficient resources. Faster paced than Legacies, Darknesses is, since it concerns multiple states and their political ambitions, much more intricately plotted. Reading Legacies before tackling it is advisable, but because Alcius is like many other Modesitt protagonists, turning the pages to see what the author's current quiet, competent hero will do next is always a pleasure. Frieda Murray
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Library Binding: 532 pages
• Publisher: Paw Prints 2008-05-22; Reprint edition (May 22, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1435287479
• ISBN-13: 978-1435287471
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,250,337 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After spending years writing poetry, political speeches and analyses, as well as economic and technical reports on extraordinarily detailed and often boring subjects, I finally got around to writing my first short story, which was published in 1973. I kept submitting and occasionally having published stories until an editor indicated he'd refuse to buy any more until I wrote a novel. So I did, and it was published in 1982, and I've been writing novels -- along with a few short stories -- ever since.

If you want to know more, you can visit my website at www.lemodesittjr.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Answers and More Questions, September 6, 2003

By 

James D. DeWitt "Alaska Fan" (Fairbanks, AK United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Darknesses (Corean Chronicles, Book 2) (Hardcover)

The Corean Chronicles, "Legacies" and now "Darknesses," are set in a maturely conceived world. These stories are set on the continent of Corus, about 1,000 years after the Cataclysm. Corus has forgotten most of its technology, and even a millennium later the pre-Cataclysm empire of the Duarchy is remembered as an idyllic time.

In Corus, a few rare individuals, including Alucius, the hero, have Talent, the ability to do magic. In "Legacies" Alucius started to come to terms with his Talent. In "Darknesses" he must save both his family and his world. In "Legacies," Alucius, literally "from light," is a Soarer's child, and there is more than a hint here that some or all of his Talent may have been bred into him. The uses and abuses of power and technology are one of Modesitt's recurring themes, and those themes are developed more thoroughly and more subtlely here than in any of his earlier works.

Modesitt's writing continues to improve. His plotting is more intricate and complex, his characterization is three dimensional, and his pacing, always his best skill, is now impeccable. Unlike many of his recent works, you will not be able to predict the good guys, the bad guys or even the flow of the story. The surprises keep coming.

"Legacies" mostly raised questions. Some are answered by "Darknesses," and while Modesitt reportedly said this closes the Corean Chronicles, there are many, many loose plot thread and mysteries. This is a richer, deeper world than the setting for the Recluce stories. I look forward to the next installment.

This is a good yarn, well told.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keeping you up at night, February 15, 2004

By 

Richard A. Christensen (Saint Charles, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Darknesses (Corean Chronicles, Book 2) (Hardcover)

I just had to purchase Darkness after having read Legacies. I am happy to say that I was not disappointed in the second of this series. The book moved seamlessly into the second story and again there was no letdown which means I couldn't put it down. I did lose sleep trying to finish it. I am anxiously awaiting for the next one in the series.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars strong epic fantasy, September 2, 2003

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Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Darknesses (Corean Chronicles, Book 2) (Hardcover)

On Corus, sheepherder Alucius possesses a powerful, untapped Talent that he tries to hide while serving his mandatory military time. Alucius just wants to go home to his wife Wendra so though he is a captain in the 21st Company he avoids trouble as much as possible in order to avoid becoming noticed.

Warlord Aellyan Edyss finds and opens an ancient vault containing magical weapons and legendary beasts from a time long before the Cataclysm. Aellyan plans to use his weaponry to conquer and then rule Corus. Alucius realizes his dilemma once he understands the threat posed by Aellyan. If he displays his prowess and succeeds in defeating the warlord and his magical army and arsenal Alucius will become visible to his superiors and a pawn of individuals like the Lord-Protector of Lanachrona. If he hides his Talent by doing nothing, he will probably die.

DARKNESSES, the second book of the Corean Chronicles (see LEGACIES), is a superb fantasy due to the abilities of L.E. Modesitt, Jr. to make a world of magic and mystical beasts seem real. The story line combines plenty of action with strong characters and even a sense of history. Alucius is a delightful reluctant hero and his opponent is more than just a vile villain as he is a complete character too. The support cast such as Wendra and the magically created beasts add depth to a strong epic fantasy that will have the audience wondering where the author will take them next.

Harriet Klausner