Fugitive Prince: Alliance of Light: Volume One (The Wars of Light and Shadow series) (Bk. 1) [Paperback]

Janny Wurts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2009 | Series: The Wars of Light and Shadow series (Book 4)

The schism began with two halfbrothers empowered to subdue a Mistwraith. In revenge it cursed them to a life of perpetual conflict: each believes absolutely in his cause, and loathes the other for opposing it. Lysaer, Prince of the Light—a charismatic leader sworn to set humanity free from sorcerous oppression—claims divine power to safeguard his people from an enemy he is convinced will destroy them. Arithon, Master of Shadow—a trained mage—wishes for nothing but to defuse war and search out the vanished old races who hold the key to restore the world's shattered peace. When Koriani enchantresses join forces with Lysaer, new intrigues upset Arithon's hard-won autonomy. Faction is set against faction, heart against heart, and the scene is set for an explosive recurrence of war. The curse of the Mistwraith echoes eternal!

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The third cycle in the Wars of Light and Shadow series begins with Fugitive Prince, book 1 of the Alliance of the Light triptych. Lysaer and Arithon are brothers divided by a curse of enmity; one driven by rapacious pride, the other marking a lonely fugitive path. In a style reminiscent of Tolkien or Herbert, Janny Wurts has concocted a world of enchantresses and runes, ciphers and prophecies, conjurers and plotters, in which the forces of good and evil are distilled to their most human levels. Be warned: after a taste of her potion, you may be under her spell for a very long time. This series is Ulyssesean in scope, comprising eight volumes at last count. --Jhana Bach --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Review

Praise for the Wars of Light and Shadow: 'Astonishingly original and compelling! A gifted creator of wonder' Raymond E Feist 'Janny Wurts builds beautiful castles in the air ! where every detail is richly imagined and vividly rendered' Diana Gabaldon 'It ought to be illegal for one person to have so much talent' Stephen Donaldson

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Product Details

• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0006482996
• ISBN-13: 978-0006482994
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #615,065 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I value direct experience over virtual experience and research alone.
Most of the things I write about, I have done at one point in my life.
I find inspiration in the natural world, travel, insatiable curiosity, and in music.

I paint the covers and do all the interiors artwork and maps for my novels.

Experiences have included horse training and competitive riding, offshore sailing, Outward Bound, music gigs, and extensive amateur bagpiping competition, and a second career in oil painting and illustration.

One of my goals is to bring the vividness of these experiences to the readers on the pages of my stories.

For the past fifteen years, I've been happily married to Don Maitz, the artist of SF/Fantasy book cover and Captain Morgan Spiced rum fame.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not as captivating as other Wurts novels, still a good read., December 21, 1999

By 

"nynaeve" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fugitive Prince (Alliance of Light) (Mass Market Paperback)

By far the best of Janny Wurts' works is this series, however I must admit that at times I found this chapter in the series a trifle boring.

I suppose I am expecting the same very high standard that marks her previous novels. She is by far my favourite author, and this novel simply falls short of her standard - however, it is still a very good book and worth the read - just don't expect too much, like I did ;)

This novel focuses on the growing power of Lysear's Alliance, Koriathian plots and intrigues, and Arithon's efforts to escape their traps and manipulations. The novel does provide a lot of valuable information that will no doubt become instrumental in the following novels.

I have one big complaint though - There was certainly not enough about Elaira. Am I wrong to assume he is the lead female character? When, (Oh when!) are we going to learn more about her, and her experiences. And when will she meet Arithon again?

One thing I must praise Mrs. Wurts about - her excellent and unsurpassable talent for creating deep, vivid and beautifully captivating characters. People that are very hard to forget. I simply cannot wait for the next instalment!

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars oh well let's be philosophical about it, November 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Fugitive Prince (Alliance of Light) (Mass Market Paperback)

Hi! Just would like to admit that I am a Janny Wurts fan, all the way from Sorceror's Legacy. Didn't really enjoy this book though. I must admit that certain criticisms levelled at the book are true it can be convulated in language and ponderous in tone, but that's the whole point of reading Janny Wurts. She has a distinctive flair for writing fantasy. It's different from the other usual fantasy greats. ( Okay, the language can be too complicated and heavy at times but it is worth it.) I must admit I didn't finish the book the first time round. I only picked it up again when Grand Conspiracy came up and I had to plow through the whole thing to get going again. I really wished that she would follow the pacing of Warhost where ponderous language and whatnot did not deter the action and bore the reader. In Fugitive however, the pacing is really really bad and the reader gets put off with it. The plot thickens but there is little action to offset the dullness of the whole thing. It only picks up a little at the end. Still having read this in hindsight, it's worth plowing through this massive book just to get to the end. Don't be put off by it, especially if you love the plot because the next in the series is definitely better and so is the pacing! Anyway, back to the book, it gives all the little background details to the other characters and some airtime to Lysaer and other characters like Talith who have been neglected in favour of the more popular Arithon. Perhaps that is why it is so dull sometimes because one is rather used to the vivacity of Arithon than the other characters.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Noose Is Tightened..., June 15, 2006

By 

Luke Waygood (Jamestown, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Fugitive Prince (Alliance of Light) (Mass Market Paperback)

If you've blindly stumbled onto this book, I would recommend reading the prior books (Curse Of The Mistwraith, Ships Of Merior, Warhost Of Vastmark) to understand and appreciate the depth and scope of the epic that Janny is detailing.

Fugitive Prince revolves around Arithon's quest to escape the blind, fanatical following of his equally cursed half-brother, Lysaer. At first Arithon seeks escape across the sea, and when he returns, seeks to bring captured clanborn out of slavery under Lysaer's rule.

Playing in the background, the leader of the Koriani (a group of herbalist witches, for want of a better description), seeks the demise of Arithon by setting a trap of frightening intricacy and proportion, and working in league with Lysaer.

For those with short attention spans, I would advise staying clear of this series of books. For those with more patience, I would thoroughly recommend it - Janny populates her world with vibrant, well-crafted characters, details complex battle scenes and the intricate nature of spellcraft, while masterfully interweaving separate plot lines into a complex tapestry, leaving the reader wanting more, and always wondering what will happen next.