Flight into Darkness (Alchymist's Legacy) [Hardcover]

Sarah Ash (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 27, 2009 | Series: Alchymist's Legacy (Book 2)

From Sarah Ash, acclaimed author of the Tears of Artamon trilogy, comes the conclusion to the story begun in Tracing the Shadow, a fantasy masterpiece of truly epic proportions. In a clash of kingdoms and rebels, of magicians and inquisitors, two young mages must find the resolution and courage they need to save both the world...and themselves.

As an impulsive young man, Rieuk Mordiern accidentally freed Azilis—a guardian spirit charged with keeping the balance between the kingdoms of the living and the dead. And now his sole purpose is to bring her back: to restore the balance that he so carelessly upset. Only Azilis does not want to return. Instead she has attached herself to a very talented mortal—the renowned singer Celestine—becoming, as Celestine believes, her personal guardian.

And Celestine has never needed a guardian more. Her desire for revenge against the people who consigned her magician father to the flames is leading her farther down a dangerous path as she learns to use the powers he deeded her at his death. Powers that are bringing her to the attention of an Inquisition determined to stamp out every last trace of magic from the world.

But chaos is growing. Seven daemons from another realm, once imprisoned, are now threatening to return and lay siege to the mortal world. The boundaries between life and death are slowly eroding. And to prevent the end of all things, both Rieuk and Celestine must discover what it means to truly be a hero....

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Singer and spy Celestine de Joyeuse must finally come to terms with her father's legacy in this complex sequel to 2008's Tracing the Shadow. While serving Francia's King Enguerrand, Celestine longs to destroy the Magus Linnaius, whom she believes betrayed her father to the Inquisition. Celestine is aided by Faie, a spirit bound by her father to protect her, but Faie was responsible for keeping the balance between the mortal world and the realm of the dead, and now lost souls haunt the living. The story ties up minor plot threads from Ash's Tears of Atramon trilogy, but its dependence on backstory will challenge new readers, while fans of Tracing the Shadow will wonder why previously major characters have been relegated to token roles. (Feb.)
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From Booklist

Those who enjoyed the intricate Tracing the Shadow (2008) will want to read the conclusion of its story, set in the world of the Tears of Artamon trilogy. It continues the exploits of dozens of characters in several different countries, dealing with politics, mythology, espionage, ghosts, religion, music, and romance. A prophecy predicts the end of the world if the Drakhaouls, who change the people they inhabit and can fly as dragons, are freed and brought into the world of the living. Rieuk Mordiern finally begins to love again but faces betrayal before venturing into the Rift and getting lost for years. Musicians Celestine (formerly Klervie) and Jagu go spying in Muscobar, and when they are targeted by the inquisition, Celestine gets her appearance altered to become an opera-company’s cleaning lady (though she is soon performing in it). An exorcism gone wrong slays a monarch’s best friend, seven daemons escape the Rift and possess highly placed men, and characters and story lines eventually converge. A challenging journey for characters and readers alike. --Diana Tixier Herald

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Spectra (January 27, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553805207
• ISBN-13: 978-0553805208
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1.8 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #237,646 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent direct sequel, January 29, 2009

By 

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

This review is from: Flight into Darkness (Alchymist's Legacy) (Hardcover)

When the Kingdom of Francia's chief Inquisitor Alois Visant executed the entire College of Thaumaturgy for violating the taboo of practicing magic; "alchymist" Linnaius and his apprentice Rieuk Mordiern are the only survivors of the fiery massacre. Rieuk went underground to survive, but after escaping more harrowing scenarios (see TRACING THE SHADOW) he inadvertently frees the critical guardian spirit Azilis who maintains order between the living and the dead.

Although he wishes for the days of being a bored housekeeper, Rieuk learned one thing from his master; fulfill one's duty. He must return Azilis to her position as guardian. However, time is running out as the Seven Dark Angels of Destruction are on the march and Azilis has no interest to go back to her tedious role as guardian spirit. Instead she prefers being personal guardian to highly regarded singer Celestine de Joyeusse; although her inhuman talent has Visant and his Inquisition agents looking closely at her for signs of magic; a skill they found in her father before burning him to death.

Located in the Tears of Artamon realm just after the events of the CHILDREN OF THE SERPENT GATE, the conclusion to the two-book Alchymist's Legacy saga is a superb entry that showcases how Francia's enemies see their rivalry and the overall world. The exhilarating story line is fast-paced answering the too many major threads left dangling from the first story. Fans will relish the escapades of the reluctant champion, the hesitant heroine, and the guardian who brings them together as daemons invade, but fans should read TRACING THE SHADOW first as FLIGHT INTO DARKNESS is a direct sequel.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A valuable edition to the Tears universe, October 25, 2009

By 

M. Natisin (The Fog,CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Flight into Darkness (Alchymist's Legacy) (Hardcover)

Flight into Darkness is the conclusion to Alchymist's Legacy, a prequel/sequel to Sarah Ash's Tears of Artamon Trilogy. The first book of Alchymist's Legacy is Tracing the Shadow (Alchymist's Legacy). "Flight into Darkness" is the second and concluding book. I strongly recommend that if you read Alchymist's Legacy , you read the Tears trilogy as well to get the full story. This will also help events in Alchymist's Legacy make more sense.

Tracing the Shadow related the back-story for the enigmatic Francian antagonists of the Tears trilogy, Celestine de Joyeuse and her partner Jagu de Rustephan, while introducing Rieuk Mordiern, Kaspar Linnaius forgotten apprentice. Celestine, Jagu and Rieuk's fates were forever altered by the appearance of the same aethyrial spirit named Azilis. Now in Flight into Darkness, the truth behind the nature of Azilis becomes known, revealing a bond that ties Celestine to the crumbling barriers between the living and the dead, and the daemon prince Nagazdiel himself.

The problem I encountered while reading this otherwise welcome expansion of the Tears universe is Part Two, which is basically an extremely abbreviated version of the Tears of Artamon itself. Not enough information is given for newcomers to actually understand all that happened in Tears, yet fans will likely find this section a bit redundant in places. Once one nears the ending chapters of part two, however, the story once again picks up, vibrant and worth every page.

Ash has a talent for linking all her novels together in a glistening thread of meaning, and in Alchemyst's Legacy she manages to bring together her Tears of Artamon trilogy and her novel Songspinners (Alchymist's Legacy brings back Girim nel Ghislain and Captain Korentan, here Lieutenant Korentan, who both have starring rolls in Ash's "Songspinners") while navigating a new story arc. Blending the Enhirre Azilis,the Francian Saint Azilia and the Allegondan Elesstar is a rather poignant way of saying that all religions share common threads, that all hold different names for the same things...while at the same time implying that none of them are entirely correct in their interpretation. Her novels are entertaining, laden with beautiful images and thought-provoking.

4.0 out of 5 stars Suprisingly Good, February 15, 2010

By 

R. Abraham "Sweetness" (Atlantic City, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Flight into Darkness (Alchymist's Legacy) (Hardcover)

The product itself was in really good shape when I recieved it. But the story is even better! I didn't know if I was going to like it, because I was iffy about the first book. I'm always 100% satisfied when I purchase from amazon!!!