Empress of Clouds [Paperback]

Diana Hignutt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2004

Behind all the plots and secret machinations, a dark evil lies waiting...

Nothing is as it seems in the kingdom of Lorm. The Druidic Prophecy that saw Prince Tolian transformed into a woman to save the world from a powerful Demon, has now strained the delicate political balance in Lorm. Dowbreth, the giant faerie warlord and ambassador of good will, sets a mysterious conspiracy in motion. Through treachery and dark magicks, Dowbreth strips Tolian of her powers and kidnaps her in the midst of the kingdom's Yule celebration. She must face her adversary as an ordinary woman and her only chance of success lies in gaining control of the legendary Moonsword...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Hignutt's commendably brisk if modest second fantasy novel (after 2002's Moonsword), 27-year-old Prince Kelvis of Lorm is plotting to be named heir to the Lorm throne, because the current heir is actually an heiress, Princess Talion, who was changed into a woman in order to fight "the Demon." Kelvis allies himself with an evil Elven lord, Dowbreth, who conspires to bring the whole realm under the rule of the Sidhe (or fairy folk). But Princess Talion is no fool in either gender, and with the steadfast help of her wife, the Druidess Brythia, and another identity-challenged gentleman, Kiliordes, she resists valiantly. The author, herself a transsexual, sensitively handles the book's transsexual theme, but the abundance of superior fantasy fiction in the marketplace, some of it more effectively gender-bending than this workmanlike effort, presents a challenge.
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Review

"...commendably brisk... superior fantasy fiction... (a) workman-like effort..." -- Publishers Weekly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 293 pages
• Publisher: Behler Publications (December 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974896241
• ISBN-13: 978-0974896243
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,620,717 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eternal Love, November 11, 2004

By 

Audrey Ihrig (Greensboro, North Carolina United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Empress of Clouds (Paperback)

"Empress of Clouds" is a sequel to an earlier novel "Moonsword". In "Moonsword", Druidic prophecy foretells the coming of an all mighty Demon who will destroy the World. The only hope of salvation is for Prince Tolian, the heir to the Lorm throne, to be transformed into a woman.

The Demon makes a comeback in "Empress of Clouds". The Demon secures the help of Dowbreth, a powerful faerie warrior. Dowbreth must neutralize Tolian because she is the only one who can stand up to the Demon and defeat him.

Dowbreth's job is made easier because the members of the court despise Tolian. A powerful woman frightens the men. The men can not stand the idea of a woman ruling the kingdom. The women in the court are not only jealous of Tolian's beauty, but also dislike her for never having to experience the discrinination that goes along with being born a woman. It is amazing how soon the members of the Lorm Court forgot how Tolian saved their lives and the world.

Through treachery and dark magic, Dowbreth strips Tolian of her powers, kidnaps her and take her to an unaccessible place. Brythia, Tolian's devoted wife must discover how Tolian lost her powers, deliver the Moonsword to Tolian and find a passage to the unaccessible place where her lover is imprisoned. The action is fast paced and exciting. Other elements in the story include, cruelty, blackmail, male chauvinism, eternal love, superhuman efforts and feminine courage.

This reviewer believes that the author could have done a better job in linking these two books togehter. The second book, "Empress of Clouds" should have picked up right at the end of "Moonsword" instead of several months later. An earlier start would have permitted the author to better explain why the Druidic Prophecy strained the delicate, political balance in Lorm.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A delightful read, December 16, 2004

By 

Dee Power (Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Empress of Clouds (Paperback)

Diana Hignutt takes the reader on the wings of imagination to a world of wonder and fantasy in "Empress of Clouds." Princess Tolian saved his kingdom and the rest of the world from a diabolical demon by being transformed through druid magic from a man into a woman, a woman who is the physical manifestation of the Moon Goddess. While this book picks up the story of Tolian it is not necessary to read the first novel, "Moonsword," to fully enjoy and understand "Empress of Clouds."

Tolian continues to explore the mysteries and frustrations of being female and her powers as a goddess on earth, but not for long. Through cunning and deception her powers are subverted and she is kidnapped by an overlord of the faerie kingdom. The rest of the story flies by as Brythia, Tolian's wife both pre and post transformation, and her staunch supporters strive to rescue Tolian, before the faerie world and the mortal world are destroyed.

Occasionally the unusual names of the characters interrupt the reader's immersion into this fantasy tale, but that's the only criticism. Hignutt skillfully interweaves captivating descriptions of Tolian's world without slowing down the pace of the story. "Empress of Clouds" is a delightful read.

Dee Power Co-author of "The Making of a Bestseller"

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful fantasy!, July 10, 2005

By 

Christine Norris "YA fantasy author" (New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Empress of Clouds (Paperback)

In the second of the Moonsword trilogy, we follow the newly transformed Princess Tolian, her wife Brythia and their friend (who used to be two people) Kiliordes, as they meet again with an old enemy. Treachery runs deep within the court of Lorm, and an alliance is struck between an ambitious courtier and an elf warlord. The Princess is kidnapped, her powers bound, and she is spirited away by her abductor.

The balance of worlds hangs in the balance, and it is up to Tolian's true love to set things right.

This book is incredibly well written and quick moving. The setting and characters nearly leap from the page.Diana is a gifted writer, and I anxiously await the final installment of this marvelous trilogy.