Into the Dark Lands (The Sundered, Book 1) [Paperback]

Michelle Sagara West (Author), Michelle Sagara West (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 11, 2005

War has its cost, and the Servants of the Bright Heart and the Servants of the Dark Heart have been locked in a struggle that has defined life—and death—for millennia. But the end is coming, and only the Lady who has served the Bright Heart for the whole of her immortal life has seen it, in a vision that spans time and demands the highest of prices.

Erin is a healer, and against the nature of her birthright she has learned to wield a sword and use it to bring death to the enemies of her people. Scarred by the losses that war always demands, she is the chosen champion of Light and the enemy of darkness.

But no magical sword or simple quest awaits Erin. Her journey and her doom lie in the Dark Heart’s stronghold, and in the hands of her people’s greatest enemy.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Since the beginning, Bright Heart had warred against Dark, dual divinities locked in titanic struggle . . .
Now the Lady, First Servant of the Bright Heart, had pierced the veil of time, where the future held only one slim hope for the forces of the Light . . .
Erin was already a warrior and a gifted healer, but scarcely more than a child. Yet the Lady named her the champion of their people -- for only through Erin could Light finally triumph.
A warrior whose talent was healing, a healer committed to destruction . . . Erin's path would be a tortuous journey of faith into the Dark Lands! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Michelle Sagara West is a novelist who has eight published novels as Michelle West and four novels originally published as Michelle Sagara.

Product Details

• Paperback: 315 pages
• Publisher: BenBella Books (August 11, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193210058X
• ISBN-13: 978-1932100587
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #599,596 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What a great book 4 & 1/2 stars, September 15, 2004

By 

loonigrrl (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Into the Dark Lands (The Sundered, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

I found this book in a used book store years ago, and I am so glad I picked it up! It started off rather slow, but as soon as Erin meets the First Servant of the Dark Lord it became such an unsually compelling love story. Most of the book is a dark and rather tragic romance between Erin and Lord Stefanos. They can't help but be both repelled and fascinated by the conflicting nature of the other, as they find themselves compromising what they've always believed in to be together. It took me years to finish the series because books 3 and 4 are so expensive, but if you can get your hands on them, I recommend all four- they don't disappoint. These are the types of books you can't let go of even days after you finish the last page.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Bad Scan Detracts from a Great Book, August 19, 2010

By 

Mark Galpin (Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Into The Dark Lands (The Sundered) (Kindle Edition)

I like all of Michelle West's work both as Michelle West and Michelle Sagara, and I found that this series does not appear to be an exception. The Beauty and the Beast love story (as she describes it at the beginning) is fascinating, and its set up in such a strange way. This said, I do feel obliged to note, for purchasers of the kindle edition, that this is probably the worst conversion to Kindle I've ever paid for. This is clearly done as a scan of the original book, and clearly no one bothered to do a proof-read/spell check after the OCR. It is noticeable and annoying and definitely knocks the kindle edition down at least a star. If you are accustomed to reading OCRed scans, it has that familiar annoying quality, but is quite readable. If you're not, you'll find the apparent typos in this book exceedingly obnoxious, and given that book 2 isn't out on Kindle (but the rest of the series is), I'd be inclined to say its not worth it despite an otherwise great book.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Approach with an open mind, June 8, 2006

By 

Michelle "betwixt" (Montvale, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Into the Dark Lands (The Sundered, Book 1) (Paperback)

Michelle Sagara West herself in the introduction states that a reader had once equated the romance between Erin, the heroine, and Stefanos, the (anti-?)hero as a type of Beauty and the Beast. I agree but the story is so much deeper and more compelling. Initially, the book seems complex because it sets the stage for the "main" storyline by explaining the world of "Light" and "Dark." As mentioned by other reviewers, the 2nd half is simpler in its focus on the romance but upon rereading the book several times, I personally saw a parallel between the romance and the struggle of the Light and the Dark. I am still waiting for books 3 and 4 of the series because I NEED to know what happens to Erin and Stefanos.
This book was one of Ms. West's earliest works so that if you read the Sun Sword series, you will recognize the focus on the characters but the plot is sparer and more direct. I found it refreshing because it made me focus more on the relationship between Erin and Stefanos. If one doesn't expect the level of intricacy of the Sun Sword series, one will find the book a delight.