Mortal Coils [Paperback]

Eric Nylund (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 3, 2009

Nothing interesting ever happened to fifteen-year-old orphans Eliot and Fiona while they’ve lived in the strict, oppressive household of their grandmother. A chance visit, however, reveals that there is much more to the twins. They are the offspring of a goddess and Lucifer, Prince of Darkness.

Now, to settle the epic custody battle between these two families, the fallen angels create three diabolical temptations, and the gods fashion three heroic trials to test Eliot and Fiona. More than ever they need to stick together to survive and to learn how to use their budding supernatural abilities . . . for family allegiances are ever-shifting in the ancient, secret world they have entered.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fifteen-year-old twins Eliot and Fiona Post are, unbeknownst to them, descended from two age-old warring dynasties. Their oppressive grandmother, Audrey, hides them from the political machinations of their centuries-old, magic-wielding relatives by making their lives as mundane and boring as possible, an expedient that leaves them predictably miserable. The opening chapters share the sluggish pace of the Posts' life in dull Del Sombra, Calif., and even several impossible events at first fail to penetrate the twins' belief in the utter normalcy of their family. Fortunately, the characterization of Eliot and Fiona is lively and realistic, and Nylund (Halo: Ghosts of Onyx) rewards readers willing to slog through the first of the twins' three magical trials with a sparkling and complicated story filled with dangerous, intriguing events and characters. (Feb.)
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From Booklist

Orphaned twins Eliot and Fiona have been raised by a repressive grandmother, whose more than 100 rules have assured that nothing interesting has ever happened in their lives. But when they turn 15, a surprise visit from an uncle brings the revelation that their parents are a goddess and Lucifer, Prince of Darkness. The twins, whose supernatural powers are just emerging, become sacrificial pawns when the league of the gods sets up three heroic trials to test their worthiness to stay alive and join the family. Meanwhile, the Infernals, or fallen angels, determine to learn whether the twins belong with them by tempting them three times; to pass this test, they must survive all three enticements. A hair-raising tale ensues, in which the twins’ powers grow as they face the six life-or-death ordeals. The immortals are shadowy yet dimensional characters, but the finely crafted characterizations of the twins sustain the story. The ending encourages thinking a sequel may be coming. Suggest this as a read-alike for Mark J. Ferrari’s The Book of Joby (2007). --Sally Estes

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Product Details

• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; First Edition edition (February 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765317974
• ISBN-13: 978-0765317971
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #551,831 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eric Nylund is a New York Times bestselling and World Fantasy Award nominated author of several novels (including HALO: GHOSTS OF ONYX and DRY WATER) which have sold over two million copies.

THE RESISTERS, his latest novel for Middle Readers, is out April 2011.

Nylund is Head Writer for Microsoft Game Studios where he helps shape the intellectual property for some the world's best videogame developers.

Nylund attended the 1994 Clarion West Writer's Workshop and has a Bachelor's degree in chemistry and a Master's degree in theoretical chemical physics.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nylund returns to original fantasy fiction inspired by Zelazny, March 22, 2009

By 

Jvstin "Paul Weimer" (Circle Pines, MN United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mortal Coils (Paperback)

Fiona and Eliot Post are two orphans on the cusp of their fifteenth birthday. Living with their grandmother in a strangely strict regimen of rules, their lives are relatively dull and uninteresting. The myriad non fiction books (fictional books are forbidden!) provide much of the entertainment and life for these homeschooled twins, whose only outside outlet is their work in a nearby pizza parlor.

Their fifteenth birthday, however, coincides with the discovery of them by outside powers, and the discovery by them that their parents are scions of competing supernaturally powered families. Now at the center of a custody fight between gods and demons, set on trials by the gods and tempted by the demons, Fiona and Eliot soon realize just how protected and safe their previous, constricted existence really was.

Wow.

The novel reminded me of<a href="http://www.skyseastone.net/jvstin/unjvst/007759.html"> L Jagi Lamplighter's Prospero's Lost</a>. It's clear that both novels have read, and been influenced by Roger Zelazny. The tone and the worlds created, though, are somewhat different and I think a good analogy is to think of another pair of writers, C.S. Lewis and JRR Tolkien. With her explictly Christian framework to the mythology of her supernatural modern day universe, Lamplighter's Prospero's Lost is the C.S. Lewis in this formulation. Nylund's novel, on the other hand, does not have that explicit framework. In fact, the novel seems to suggest that the appearances of supernatural beings throughout history have all been members of the various families depicted and hinted at in this book. In this way, its a more, for lack of a better work, pagan formulation than Lamplighter's.

Turning aside from the comparison, the novel itself is replete with all sorts of delights. The twins are well drawn and have a complicated sibling relationship which I found believable and a delight. I particularly liked the vocabulary/reference game that the two play. Only having had years of non fiction volumes to read for recreation, the twins are perfectly comfortable in making obscure references. For example, early in the novel, Fiona refers to Eliot being sick by asking if he has<em> Nagleria fowleri</em>(a type of amoeba contracted in water).

Another delight in the novel is the footnotes. While he doesn't pepper the text with the frequency of, say, Jack Vance, the novel's text and narrative is replete and enriched by the occasional footnote which makes observations from what seems to be the future of the events depicted. This further enriches and complicates the world and its narrative in a way that helps suggest that the world "continues" beyond the borders of its pages. The Playground of the Imagination, as Larry Niven calls it.

The characters themselves, beyond the Twins, on both sides of their relations, are a host that are complicated, complex and completely well drawn. Not all of the Gods could be considered good by even the most charitable reading of the text, and not all of the Infernals can be considered completely and irredeemably evil.

The novel is clearly and explicitly the first in a series, and I do hope that the novel sells well enough that Mr. Nylund has the opportunity to write and publish more of the books. I definitely will be looking forward to reading the subsequent volumes. As I implied before, people like me, who love Zelazny are going to cotton to this novel very well. (Hey, it has a character named *Fiona* who winds up having supernatural abilities. How can you say no to that?!). Nylund, thankfully, has had his time in the wilderness of media-tie-in novels not go to waste. The writing is engaging, inventive and enthralling.

Highly Recommended.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Snatched from my hands, February 24, 2009

By 

S. Stringer "sstringer" (ny,ny) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mortal Coils (Paperback)

A truly fabulous book. It moves slowly but with a ton of detail. I ordered it for my 45 year-old self and had it snatched from my hands by my curious 12 year-old son as soon as I finished it. I have to forcibly remove it from his hands so he will sleep.

We have had great discussions about the multiple god personas, about possible plot twists, and about how parents should never make their kids wear dorky clothes...

A novel that appeals to young adults without pandering to them - good work!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging, intelligent...and just the right amount of creepy!, February 20, 2009

By 

Beverly Reynolds (New Mexico) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mortal Coils (Paperback)

I just finished reading Mortal Coils...once I started, I couldn't put it down! I have been looking for another good series to get into, and it looks like Eric Nylund's new series, about twins who must deal with somewhat...abnormal...heritage (what with their mother being a goddess and their father being Lucifer and all), will fill that void quite nicely.

I don't think there's anyone out there who won't be able to relate to the twins in this story--I mean, who hasn't felt like a complete loser with a crappy job and crazy family?--which is what makes this book so engaging. Despite the crazy adventures the twins get involved with, they are still relatable and human. (Well, maybe not ALL human...)

The pacing of the book perfectly mimics what's going on in the twins' lives. The earlier chapters reflect the twins' life prior to their trials, and as the story unfolds the chapters get more and more intense. Too many books involving kids skimp on the darker stuff, but I'm happy to report that this one didn't...there were some moments that actually had me creeped out. Awesome!

All in all, a great start to what promises to be an exciting series!