Customer Reviews

The Door Into Shadow

5 star:		(6)
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3 star:		(1)
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This is one of the very few sequels I would say honestly surpasses the original. _Door Into Shadow_ takes the ideas introduced in _Door Into Fire_, and brings them further into the light: Segnbora d'Welcaen tai-Enraesi is the protagonist, and through her eyes, the reader will meet the Queen who cheated death, face the darker side of spirituality... and make the acquaintance of a Dragon who could change one's perspective on that mythical species forever. Wonderfully thought-provoking, _Door Into Shadow_ doesn't flinch away from any issues, instead facing them head-on and taking us along for the ride. It would be worth reading for the chance to meet Hasai (and see what becomes of Herewiss & Co.) alone; add in the songs, the legends, the magic, the tragedies, and the joys, and it becomes a literary jewel beyond price. Buy it if you can find it!

Normally I try to stay away from sequels to books because they usually aren't as good as the first ones. However, the prequel to this book left me wanting more and I decided to go out and get this one from the library.

The way Diane makes all the characters come alive is incredible, especially with Hasai, since he was already dead and she makes them seem so real.

How could they have taken this series our of print??!!

Everything I wrote in my review of the Door into Fire (pls. see) can be repeated for the second part of this most atypical fantasy serial.
Its main strength lies in the fascinating world created by Ms Duane, its main charm in the detailed depiction of characters who think much more than they act.

In this second part the author seems to concentrate on Segnbora, a multilayered, faceted woman very different from the usual she-warrior; Ms Duane uses her to let us into a much deeper insight of her personal phylosophy (weltanschauung) and manages to keep the reader's interest high.
On the other hand she neglects all the others, even the lovely Sunspark, whose wit was one of the main asset of the first part. The loss is painful, especially because the "others" were so endearing in the first volume. As a consequence every time Segnbora is not involved the story becomes slow, sometimes it even drags.

Hardly an excusable mistake considering the years Ms Duane allowed herself to write the three volumes (the fourth is at the time still unpublished).

The Door Into Shadow (1984) is the second novel in the Tale of Five series, following The Door Into Fire. In the previous volume, the companions faced the death of their souls within the Hold in the Waste and Herewiss became one with his Flame to protect them. After the soul-eaters are destroyed, Freelorn decides that it is time to return to Arlen to claim the throne.

In this novel, Herewiss has a true dream about the Shadow on the night before leaving the Hold. This dream convinces him that he has to learn to control his Flame immediately, so the companions leave for Morrowfane at first light. There the spirits guide Herewiss in using his Flame. However, Segnbora has another experience at Morrowfane; she finds herself hosting the persona of the dragon Hasai. Moreover, this dragon brings a cloud of other dragon minds with him.

Segnbora finds the dragons deep within her mind. She learns much about their history and purpose and they learn much about her, delving even deeper within her mind and forcing her to confront her fears. Gradually, she becomes a hybrid of human and dragon, speaking with the tongue of dragons and casting a dragon shadow.

The companions join with Eftgan, Queen of Darthen, and her army to face the forces of the Shadow. Thousands of Reavers are pouring out of Barachael Pass and this time they have sorcerers of their own. The companions set out to close the pass.

Highly recommended for Duane fans and anyone else who enjoys tales of sword and sorcery with serious character development.

-Arthur W. Jordin

After *years* of searching second-hand bookshops, I finally found this sequal to The Door Into Fire, and if anything it's even better than the first book. Segnbora is a wonderful character - strong, complex and ambiguous. I also love Duane's Goddess religion, more aspects of which are revealed in this book. Now I face more years of looking for the third one. REPRINT THIS SERIES!

As the Tale of the Five continues, Duane takes readers to the dotted line between Good and Evil, and leaves the matter squarely where it should be: both sides of the coin are what you make of them or believe them to be.

Ms Duane creates a world where love is all that is important. This is enshrined in the Goddess who takes a very real hand in what is going on. I have reccomended this book to many people, old and young. I have especially reccomended it to a young friend who "came out" to me and was feeling very down. He was able to live again so to speak believing that how he felt about himself was right for him.