Kingdoms of Light [Kindle Edition]

Alan Dean Foster (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bestselling veteran Foster, author of more than 80 genre titles, including the Spellsinger and Journeys of the Catechist series, brings readers another action-packed fantasy, one that might have come straight from the vaults of Disney. The peaceful kingdom of Gowdlands is invaded by the goblin Totumakk Horde, led by the evil Khaxan Mundurucu, a company of warlocks who handily kill the mightiest wizard, Susnam Evyndd, and banish all the land's colors. Unbeknownst to them, the wise mage has one last spell to cast. Susnam's pets--three cats, a scruffy terrier, a songbird and a boa--are transformed into human shape and sent on a quest to find the source of the Pure Light of coloration and restore gray, gloomy Gowdlands to normal. To accomplish the task, the former animals must come to terms with their new forms and each other, while battling goblin magic and those who would stand in their way. Their journey takes them through a magical rainbow and across a spectrum of kingdoms, each ruled by a different color, until at last they reach the source of Pure Light. Foster's brand of storytelling, lighthearted even at the darkest moments, doesn't leave much room for doubt about how it's all going to turn out. Fans of swift-moving plots and imaginative settings will overlook the thin characters and enjoy this pleasant fantasy tale.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The fearsome sorcerer Khaxan Mundurucu has laid waste to the Gowdlands. While a host of goblins terrorize the land, leaching it of all color and destroying the will of the conquered populace, a dying wizard's final spell transforms his pets into a company of human heroes who possess the only chance of restoring hope and freedom to their world. The author of the "Journeys of the Catechist" trilogy and numerous other works of fantasy and sf produces a standalone fantasy that features six uncommon characters charged with a seemingly impossible task. Humor and wit enliven this quest-tale, which belongs in most fantasy and YA collections.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 657 KB
• Publisher: Aspect (February 20, 2001)
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000Q9EX80
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #516,018 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Alan Dean Foster's work to date includes excursions into hard science-fiction, fantasy, horror, detective, western, historical, and contemporary fiction. He has also written numerous non-fiction articles on film, science, and scuba diving, as well as having produced the novel versions of many films, including such well-known productions as "Star Wars", the first three "Alien" films, "Alien Nation", and "The Chronicles of Riddick". Other works include scripts for talking records, radio, computer games, and the story for the first "Star Trek" movie. His novel "Shadowkeep" was the first ever book adapation of an original computer game. In addition to publication in English his work has been translated into more than fifty languages and has won awards in Spain and Russia. His novel "Cyber Way" won the Southwest Book Award for Fiction in 1990, the first work of science-fiction ever to do so.

Foster's sometimes humorous, occasionally poignant, but always entertaining short fiction has appeared in all the major SF magazines as well as in original anthologies and several "Best of the Year" compendiums. His published oeuvre includes more than 100 books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable fantasy, February 11, 2001

By 

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

This review is from: Kingdoms of Light (Hardcover)

The Goblin horde led by warlock Khaxan Mundurucu successfully overwhelm the Kingdom of Gowdlands, killing the wizard Susnam in the process. The victors remove all color from the once peaceful realm. However, Susnam managed one last spell changing his three cats, a terrier, a bird, and a boa into humans with a quest to find the Pure Light that will return the color to the drab kingdom.

As Oskar, Mamakitty, Taj, Cezar, and Cocoa begin their journey, they struggle to adapt to their new form and not allow instinct to take charge. Having to fool human and goblin alike, they cross a spectrum of colors ruling kingdoms in their obsession to complete their master's final quest.

Anyone who enjoys an old fashion good vs. evil fantasy quest in which the outcome is preordained in the first few pages will want to travel on Alan Dean Foster's latest adventure. The well-written story line is often amusing even in the darkest light as the quintet of animals turned human struggle to adjust. This makes for more lighthearted moments, but never fully provide a complete character package of the five heroes or the deadly Goblin leaders. Still, Mr. Foster is a wonderful author whose latest novel KINGDOMS OF LIGHT will easily convert into a fabulous feature length animated tale.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gleaming Light, June 30, 2002

By 

gobirds2 (New England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kingdoms of Light (Mass Market Paperback)

Animals come to the rescue in this great paperback by Foster. This is classic paperback reading moving fast, interesting and actually well conceived and thought out. The idea of the animals taking on human forms and all that goes with it is quite interesting. The idea of each kingdom ruled by a different color of light was innovative. What happens when you blend all the colors of the spectrum?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Typical Foster, but a bit slow, December 20, 2002

By 

Chad Cloman (Denver, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kingdoms of Light (Hardcover)

When a powerful wizard is destroyed during a war, his burial ashes transform his pets into human form. They must then travel into a rainbow in search of white light, in order to break a curse placed over the land.

As usual Alan Dean Foster has a vivid imagination and manages to think up some very interesting and unique characters/worlds. His writing is good, and I enjoyed the characterization of the six animals. I found this particular story, however, to be a bit slow and continued reading the book just to finish it.